Kingdom Hearts: Power Unknown
by Soulless1
Summary: Sora has been granted a power by Kingdom Hearts itself. Can he figure out it's purpose in time to save everything that matters most? The Sequel's First Chapter has been posted, I'm gonna try to finish it as soon as possible!
1. Daydreams

Kingdom Hearts: Power Unknown

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><p><strong>Sorry if there are errors. This story is rather old, I started it back in 2009!<strong>

**If by any chance, there are some requests pertaining to this story, feel free to drop me a line!**

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><p>12.20.2009<p>

Chapter I

Daydreams

It was dark...

I knew not myself nor my true purpose...

All I knew was that somehow...I was...called...

from deep in my Heart I heard a voice..

I knew that voice, I hadn't heard it in years yet I yearned to touch that face...

I loved her from the very moment I heard her voice, I was hooked...

She had the most beautiful blue eyes her red hair resembled strands of sunset...S

he and my best friend...Riku...meant the worlds to me even if it meant oblivion, I would lay down my Life for them...

The Keyblade Weapon of Light...Chose me...

I became the Keyblade Master...I with the help of Goofy Captain of the Guard and Donald High Chief Magician of Disney Castle saved Kingdom Hearts the Heart of all Worlds from Ansem The Seeker of Darkness...

After I had awoken in Twilight Town I once again journeyed across the Worlds searching for her and Riku fighting Organization XIII and once again saved Kingdom Hearts from the clutches of Xemnas The Superior...

All...for her...her name always clouds my mind when I rest on the Beaches of Destiny Islands...Kairi...Kairi...

"SORA!"

I fell backwards off of the fallen Palm Tree I had been sitting on.

Once I had scraped the sand out of my eyes and coughed up most of the seawater I had swallowed I looked up with the noon sun in my eyes to see her...Kairi

"YOU LAZY BUM!" I wasn't sure why but she looked beautiful when she was angry,

I felt something strike my face stars danced across my vision.

Once my vision cleared I saw Kairi standing with her hands on her hips staring me down

"YOU JUST LEFT RIKU AND ME TO CLEAN UP THAT WHOLE MESS FROM YOUR STUPID HAIR-BRAINED SCHEME NOW HALF OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS OUT LOOKING FOR YOU!"

I jerked "OH!" I put my hand on my face where she had struck me and began to apologize

"I am sooo sorry Kairi I forgot I was supposed to help fix that mess but I guess I lost track of time." that wasn't the whole truth nor was I about to tell her why I lost track of time in the first place.

She scowled and shrugged "Oh well what's done is done but you still need to apologize to everyone who got caught up in that mess." she offered me her hand, I gripped it and hauled myself onto my feet.

As we walked down the street towards the Park Riku came running up sweating and out of breath.

Once he reached us he put his hands on his knees and said

"Sora you had better hide till everyone has cooled off or you are dead meat." thats when I heard the sound of a mob of people storming down the street towards us followed by "DER HE IS GET IM'!"

I knew that accent anywhere it was my old Blitzball Partner Titus. Riku took off down the street behind us and screamed "RUN!"

I turned on my heel and took off down the street towards the small Island where I used to play when I was little, after 1 or 2 miles I made it to the beach but from there it looked like a dead end.

Riku caught up with me, with Kairi in tow he said "Dude you have to swim for it!"

I gave him an exasperated look it was at least 2 miles to that island! Kairi turned and began scanning the shoreline for the mob then she said "Where is the Raft?"

Riku instantly began to look for the Raft too, pacing up and down the Beach.

I finally found the Raft hidden in a patch of tall grass I grabbed the rope and pulled after a few seconds it came free of the mud with a loud SHHHHHHLUCK!

Riku came running over saying "You found it excellent!" Riku and I pushed it into the shallows we held it steady and helped Kairi onto the deck then I helped Riku get a foothold onboard Riku and I grabbed a paddle and began to row for our lives.

It was late afternoon when we made landfall once again Riku and I helped Kairi onto the Shore then we made our way to the old club house lucky for us it still stood, but needed major repairing.

Riku suggested we go and find some loose boards to fix it.

Kairi made her way to the Paopu Grove where we used to spend our afternoons watching the sunset.

I made for the south beach where we had built the Raft.

By the time Riku and I had gathered enough wood to repair the club house it was 2 hours before sunset, but we soon finished repairs after Riku found an old box of nails in my toolbox.

Kairi came walking up to me and whispered in my ear "Nice work lazy bum." I looked at her and gave her my goofy smile.

Riku came back from the tool shed carrying our old sleeping bags. Mine was blue with the King's (Mickey, not Elvis) symbol on it, Kairi's was pink with pictures of Paopu Fruit on it and Riku's was blue as well but was covered in pictures of skulls

"Emo freak." I thought to myself.

Riku tossed the sleeping bags to their owners and walked over to the fire pit and tossed some left over driftwood into it and drew his Keyblade Way To Dawn, and commanded "FIRAGA!" He sat down and smirked at the small flames dancing inside the ring of stones.

"Well...when do you think we can show our faces back on the Island?" asked Riku with a yawn.

Kairi shrugged "I guess when everyone calms down but that may take awhile."

I sat up "Maybe we could go visit everyone in Twilight Town and Hollow Bastion?" Kairi smiled and Riku nodded stiffly "I've got my Gummy Ship parked in that old cave on the north side of the Big Island if we left at sunrise we could be out of here at noon."

I laid back down with my hands behind my head and yawned "It's settled then we leave for Twilight Town at Sunrise." I closed my eyes and drifted slowly off to sleep.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1 finished! I already have chapters 2-10 typed and ready to post. If I get some reviews asking for another post, I just MIGHT post another.<strong>

**After all, I've gotta please my viewers! :)**


	2. Departure

Chapter II

2nd to None!

"Where...am I?" The darkness surrounding me echoed with my every word

"KAIRI, RIKU WHERE ARE YOU?" No answer I took a step forward, the darkness exploded with light underneath me. The Stained Glass that was symbolic of the Station of Awakening reveiled itself under my feet

"WHY!" The demand echoed painfully, a figure wearing a black cloak stepped out of a cloud of darkness and raised the Keyblade Oblivion pointing it straight at me "YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR BETRAYAL!"

As the figure stepped toward me the Keyblade Oathkeeper appeared out of nowhere and speared the figure through his chest his hood fell revealing Roxas my own Nobody.

I reached out a hand toward him he looked at me and roared "THUNDAGUN!" A stream of electricity surged through his keyblade and passed harmlessly through me. I looked into Roxas' eyes.

They were glowing acid yellow he yelled again, "AAAAAAAUUGGHH!" and faded into the oblivion all Nobodies meet when they die.

"Sora." I whirled around spotting Kairi standing in a pool of light which turned black, tendrils of Darkness creeped up and wrapped around her pulling her down into the pool, I felt my heart freeze, "KAIRI!"

I raced forward groping for her hand but she was gone, "Take care of her." said a voice.

I looked up and saw Riku behind a huge white Door.

The Door closed then flashed and disappeared I fell to my knees tears streaming down my face "I can't do this any longer my heart can't take so much pain."

I felt a warm breeze blow over my body and The Kingdom Key appeared floating in front of my face.

An angelic voice said "You have endured much over the course of these past few years, but you must embark on one more journey or this world may not survive."

I looked up at the Keyblade, I felt...compelled to grip the handle, so I did just that. As my hand closed on the warm blue leather I felt a tingling feeling in my left hand then a second Kingdom Key appeared.

The voice said "This is my gift to you so that you may complete your task, Remember you are The Keyblade Master you alone hold the power to save me."

I asked "Who are you?" the voice chuckled in amusement, then the voice responded "I am Kingdom Hearts."

"Sora...SORA!" I opened my eyes Riku and Kairi were standing beside me both looked worried out of their minds

"What happened?" asked Riku.

I shook my head to clear it then Kairi asked "Did you see something or did you have a bad dream?"

Riku looked me up and down and said "You changed over night I know it."

Kairi gave him a concerned-for-your-sanity look and asked "What do you mean."

Riku drew The Way To Dawn and said "Outside now Sora I want to test your strength again." I gave him bewildered look and got up. Once we had walked outside Riku started to cast a Firaga Spell I countered by casting Wataragun, To my utter surprise, i realised I had countered him almost twenty seconds before he had even begun to gather his magic!

The stream of water blasted him back into the club house soaking him and Kairi who screeched at the touch of the cold water.

I braced myself, for I knew just how dangerous the situation had become by soaking Kairi. After a few seconds I felt some kind of twinge on the edge of my mind, then I cast a Reflegun Spell out of instinct which was stricken by a super-charged Thundagun Spell followed closely by Kairi who had every sign of a person hell-bent on murder.

Riku came out after her and grabbed her hand and said "I want to test him something about him has changed you saw how fast he reacted to my Firaga Spell."

Kairi nodded slowly and stepped off to the side holding the Keyblade Riku had given her.

Riku stepped forward soaked to the bone but unharmed

"Alright Sora give it all you got!" I nodded and drew the Kingdom Key then hesitated and asked "What about our Trip?"

"After our fight." he said then I assumed a defensive stance.

Riku rushed me but I rolled sideways and knocked his Keyblade up into the air, He caught it and made a stab for my right hand, I executed a Dodge Roll to the left and cast Blizagun freezing his sword-arm solid.

He pulled a Hi-Potion out of his pocket and chugged it which removed my Freeze Spell then he did a backflip.

I felt once again that small twinge and out of instinct whiplashed my left hand summoning another Kingdom Key.

Riku's jaw dropped and Kairi jumped up from her seat and yelled "YOU CAN DUAL-WIELD?"

Riku dismissed his weapon in a shower of purple sparks "I knew something about you changed during the night, Your power level shifted I felt it."

I looked the new Keyblade up and down in excitement "I had a really strange dream last night."

I told them about the dream the whole time Kairi was wide-eyed.

When I finished Riku said "I knew something was wrong I just couldn't put my finger on it." he sighed "So Kingdom Hearts spoke to you and granted you the Sync-Blade Ability."

Kairi then spoke up "Maybe we had better tell King Mickey about this?" Riku nodded and said "Pack up what you can we meet at the old cave where my Gummi Ship is parked at 3:00p.m got it?" "Yup." I said.

The three of us docked on the south shore and made our way to our houses to pack.

That would be the easy part the hard part would be explaining why we had to leave to our parents.

Not to mention hiding from that mob still looking to hang me for that stupid cleaning machine that exploded turning the park into Destiny Islands' first Landfill.

I turned on Copland Ave. to my house. I smiled as it came into view, 3 stories with a tan stucco look and of course a Tree-house in the backyard, but anyway I made my way to the back where my Dad was digging to put in a new water line for a Fountain. He looked up and said "Been out at Midnight Hill for a Camp-out?"

I nodded half-heartedly and Said "Dad can you and Mom meet me in the Kitchen we need to talk." he looked up again alarmed "What happened did you and Kairi do something stupid?"

I jumped back as he made a grab for my shirt "NO!" I yelled.

He jumped out of the hole and yelled "KATHLEEN GET OUT HERE IT'S SORA!"

After a few seconds my Mom came out looking as if the front half of the house had collapsed.

After I managed to calm them down I told them about my dream. When I had finished I noticed the crestfallen expressions they were sporting.

I sighed and said "I am not sure what is going to happen but I know if I don't go then somthing terrible may happen, I am responsible as The Keyblade Master for the well being of the Worlds."

My Mom looked absolutely devastated but Dad nodded solemnly and said "It's all happening so fast we only just got you back last year, now you have to go again." he sighed "Just promise me that you will take care of yourself, and if Kairi is going with you watch over her, your mother and I both know how you feel about her."

I blushed furiously, my Mom giggled and tickled my chin I batted her hand away and said "I need to pack some things would you help me?" my Mom nodded and said "We have never seen this so-called Keyblade would you mind showing it to us?"

I nodded made a fist and "Drew" the Keyblade out of thin, air Dad looked impressed and held out his hand "May I?"

I nodded and handed it to him.

He swung it once and it dissapeared and reappeared in my own hand, exactly as it did when Jack Sparrow stated "I want that nifty Keyblade o' Sora's."

Dad asked me about how the Keyblade works and how I came to be it's wielder.

When we had finished Mom took me inside and brought my backpack down with my collection of various items from my journeys, particularly all of my keychains, and what remained of my potions and ethers.

3:00 rolled around quicker than I expected, and like all goodbyes it was tearful.

I met up with Riku and Kairi where we had planned,

Riku walked up the Ramp to the Entry Hatch of the Gummi Ship and inserted a small black Key.

Once we were all inside, I looked at Kairi who was rummaging through her purse.

Even from the back she was beautiful so much so I wanted to jump up and start singing Gospel music.

I may be a bit of an idiot, but there was NO WAY, I was going to blow my cover like THAT!

I relaxed and settled into my black leather seat.

Once the initial take-off had passed I stood up and asked "Is there someplace I could go for some silence?" Riku stood and pointed to a door in the back of the cockpit "Yeah just down the corridor and turn left past the reactor and you will find a few bedrooms I installed."

I turned on my heel and trudged down the hall to the room farthest away from the cockpit. Once the door slid back into place behind me I turned and fell backward on the bed and just laid there...

time passed to the point that I just wasn't sure if it had been a century or one hour.

finally I dozed...


	3. DORKS TO THE RESCUE!

**Chapter 3! I hope this one is better than the last two... I know I have some spelling and grammatical problems. But can you blame me? This is only my 2nd posting on this site...**

**Sora: "Come on, just shut-up and give em' the story moron!"**

**Me: "I swear by God, if you yell at me again, I will REMOVE your ability to use the Keyblade in future chapters."**

**Sora: "Okay, whatever..."**

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><p>Whispers...endless..whispers I looked for a sign of life in the darkness but I could discern nothing.<p>

A flash of light followed by another then an explosion of color. A voice echoing in the endless darkness, "The keyblade...a truly marvelous weapon...if only it were in more...capable hands."

There was another flash of light in front of me and the keyblade appeared floating right in front of me.

I reached out to grab it...once my hand closed around the soft leather enclosing the handle I jerked and woke sweating in my bed.

Someone knocked on my door I sat up and drew my arm across my forehead wiping the sweat away "Who is it?" I called "It's me." said Kairi, I jumped up and walked to the door and pressed the release switch the door slid open and there stood Kairi...In her pajamas!

I was needless to say, scared out of my wits, "Wha-what a-are you d-doing K-kairi?" she smiled and blushed slightly and said "I was worried about you."

I hung my head and turned gesturing for her to come in, She stepped through rather briskly. I caught a glimpse of her sleeping bag under her left arm. I turned to her and asked "Why do you have your sleeping bag?" She glanced at the pink and yellow roll under her arm and said "I was just thinking maybe I could spend the rest of the night in here with you."

My mind went blank. I was about ready by then to run down the hall screaming and shouting for pure joy, but I nodded with a half-surprised half-excited look.

She threw her sleeping bag on the ground and unrolled it once she had finished she stood up and said "What's been on your mind?" I sat down heavily on my bed and sighed "I don't know for sure but I think it may have something to do with my dreams, ever since I gained the sync-blade ability my dreams have changed."

She shot me a concerned look and said "So what else have you been thinking about?"

It came out of my mouth before I could shut it, "You."

Her face went blank and turned as red as a cherry.

I fell back on the bed and stuffed as much of my pillow as I could into my mouth.

She stood and walked over to the bed and sat down beside my pillow stuffed head and said "Sora, you really are a goofy person."

I spit out the pillow and said "If I'm Goofy you're Donald." She cracked up laughing and said "See what I mean you are goofy!" I jumped up and said "I'm not Goofy I'm Sora!" I sat down again and said "Kairi what I said a little bit ago slipped before I could hold it back."

She smiled and said "I know, but at least you told the truth." She leaned towards me and kissed me on the cheek.

About that time Riku burst in and yelled "WE GOT A SITUATION!"

I jumped up and drew my Keyblade and sprang after him, once we were back in the control room my eyes bugged at the sight!

There were at least 20 Heartless rampaging around the room.

I jumped up in the air and brought the Keyblade down on one heartless and spun smashing one across it's black head. Riku drew Way To Dawn and began slashing, stabbing and skewering any and all Heartless stupid enough to get close. With our combined efforts, we made relatively short work of those blasted creatures, and saved most of the navigational and life support systems.

Kairi walked in with an exasperated look in her face and said "What in the Hell happened in here?"

Riku stood from his attack stance and said "Heartless, a small squad of them."

I turned and said "So when are we to arrive?" Riku walked to one of the control consoles and said "Fifteen minuets thirty-five seconds but the Heartless must have knocked something out of whack cause our speed has doubled to 300 mph."

I walked to one of the three chairs and sat down strapping myself in. Kairi and Riku did so as well I began checking the monitors and read-outs and started to panic at the information. I yelled to Riku "We got problems, for one we are coming in too hot if we hit at this speed anything within a mile radius of our crash site will be incinerated!"

I looked at Kairi who was strapping herself in a chair.

I moved on to the auto-pilot and switched it off and grabbed the controls, as soon as I did the whole ship gave a momentous jerk.

After Riku began to shout orders to me I yelled at him and told him to shut-up.

I jerked the controls trying to aim the ship's nose up but I couldn't budge it. I shouted for Riku to fire the reverse engines, Riku flipped a couple of switches and shouted "The engines are on but they are only managing a 30% thrust, the gauges say we are losing fuel!"

Just then I unbuckled myself and ran for the engine room.

Once inside I turned a few pressure valves and punched the emergency boost which rewarded me with a quaking shudder that rocked the entire ship as the reverse engines kicked into full thrust. I looked back to the pressure gauges, hoping for something to change.

An ominous creaking filled the room. I stared at a thick black pipe to the left of my head, it had begun to swell, I reached to the release valve that connected it to the boiler. Just as my hand closed on the warm metal, a deafening BOOOMM sounded and set my ears to ringing.

I turned to look at the twisted remains of the pressure pipe. I held my hand over it and focused my magic, "**BIND**." I smiled as the twisted wreakage reconnected itself to the boiler.

I turned and started to make my way back to the control room when I saw something fly at me out of the corner of my eye.

Whatever it was connected with my skull... I fell to the floor, and knew no more...

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><p><strong>Uh oh! What happened? What happens next? Did Kairi and Sora Kiss?<strong>

**Yeah they did!**

**Sora: "I knew something was wrong with this RIGHT from the start!"**

**Kairi: "Shut-up! You liked it and you know it!"**

**Send me a review and tell me how I did! Sorry this chapter was so short... the next one will be MUCH longer!**


	4. Reunions

**I know I said this chapter would be longer, I still aim to publish two more chapters in a week or so... God willing.**

**Sora: "Liar! You DARE TO LEAVE YOUR READERS HANGING THAT WAY?"**

**Me: "OH YOU MEAN LIKE YOU DID AT THE END OF KINGDOM HEARTS 2?"**

**Sora: "SHUT-UP! I've got plans to continue the adventure!"**

**Me: "Whatever. Anyway folks with out further ado, I give you Kingdom Hears: Power Unknown Chapter 4, Reunions!"**

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><p>Reunions<p>

I woke to someone shaking me and shouting "SORA!"

I slowly and painfully opened my eyes to see Riku standing over me

"W-what happened, did we crash?" I asked groggily.

Riku shook his head "No your quick thinking set everything straight."

I sat up rubbing my left temple "Where is Kairi?"

Kairi walked to the door and looked at me with tears in her eyes.

I stood up and said "Are you guys both okay?" Kairi and Riku nodded grimly.

I looked around and said "Where did we land?" Kairi spoke before Riku "We landed in Radient Garden outside The Great Maw, Leon Cloud and Merlin are on their way with Ansem The Wize."

I jerked "Ansem The Wize?" Riku nodded "I thought he was dead too."

Kairi turned as a voice sounded outside "HEEEEEEEY." I ran to the escape hatch and saw Cloud with a large white box under his arm tailed by Ansem ,Merlin ,Leon and Aerith.

Cloud looked me over and said "So Sora seems as though you can't keep yourself out of trouble for even one year huh?"

I smiled and walked down to meet them. Cloud stopped me and handed the box to Aerith who opened it and took out a small silver keychain with a charm on the end that looked something like a green feather, Aerith handed it to me.

I looked at it, then asked Cloud "What's this?"

Cloud looked at Aerith then to Merlin and said "Hook it onto your Keyblade."

I nodded and drew the weapon and hooked it onto the loop at the end of the handle. I nearly dropped it as it flashed and burst into green flame.

Once the light had dissapated and allowed for someone to look at it, I gasped, there in my hand was a strangly shaped Keyblade it looked sort of...backward.

I looked up at cloud he nodded I swung it and aimed at a rock on the ground about thirty yards away and fired one of my firagun spells.

After the initial flash of white light had faded away I looked for any signs of the spell's work.  
>I didn't need to search very hard, about twenty feet away there gaped a large seven-foot hole belching smoke.<p>

Cloud smiled and said "Seems you need to work on your aim."

Merlin smiled and pushed to the front of the group, "I modified an old Keyblade design, and invented that one from it!" He gestured at it smiling, "I call it 'Windshear'!"

I frowned and looked at Kairi and back to Merlin, "So where do I sleep?"

Merlin frowned "Haven't you gotten enough sleep?"

I turned my head recalling my period of uncontiousness, then I recalled what happened in the bedroom with Kairi and decided to see if I could recreate that moment.

I looked at Merlin and shook my head "But its nearly midday!"

I smiled and said "That whole situation took a lot out of me." Merlin nodded gravely and said with a stiff nod "This way."

Merlin turned and began walking back toward the Baily with everyone following.

Once we had passed into the old courtyard where I had defeated Demyx, I noticed that the gap in the wall had been repaired.

Back during my second adventure, I was fighting a computer program called the MCP. Anyway, the MCP used it's control over Hollow Bastion's security and evaluation systems to cause all sorts of hell in the town, that is until Tron, Goofy, Donald and I managed to destroy it.

We passed through a wrought iron gate and continued up a paved road towards the Castle.

After about ten or eleven minutes of walking we came to another gate with a large digital keypad on the left side, Leon walked up and slipped his Hollow Bastion Restoration Commitee Card which prompted a computerized voice to say "Card Approved please enter Squall Leonhart." Leon pushed on the gate and held it open, everyone filed in with me bringing up the rear.

We walked to the courtyard where Donald, Goofy and I first saw Sephiroth "Well what do you think of the new Radient Garden?" asked Ansem.

I nodded and looked at Riku. Riku smiled widely and said "This place definitly looks different."

Leon rounded on Riku and said hotly "Ofcource it looks different to you!"

I jumped in front of Leon and raised my hands "Hey hey easy!"

Riku growled and summoned Way To Dawn, Leon drew his Gunblade from the leather holster on his hip. I couldn't take all the hostility anymore so I drew the Kingdom Key and tapped into my new Sync-blade ability, which allowed me to draw a second Kingdom Key.

I raised one pointing it in Leon's face and the other in Riku's "LOWER YOUR WEAPONS NOW!" I roared.

Riku was the first to comply, his weapon disappeared in a flash of purple sparks.

"Why are you protecting him Sora?" Leon growled while still holding his Gunblade level with Riku's head, I turned holding both Keyblades at Leon

"Because he is my friend, and the exact same friend I was looking for when I showed up in Traverse Town."

Leon took one step forward and stopped when I transmuteted both Kingdom Keys into identical copies of Sleeping Lion.

Leon smirked and said "So I see you kept the charm I gave you." I smirked, Leon hefted the Gunblade so it rested on his shoulder, "Do you wanna test them?"

I nodded and assumed the offense position that I normally used while in Valor Form. "You know Leon." I said as I stared him down "Last time we fought I wasn't very skilled." Leon nodded grimly.

I crossed the Keyblades and started focusing my power into both of them, causing them to glow like lightsabers.

Leon raised the Gunblade and tried to nail me with a virtical slash, I dodge-rolled to the left and swung my Keyblades in a circle catching the Gunblade's edge.

I smiled at Leon. Leon had a look of grim satisfaction on his face. "So I see you learned a few tricks." I nodded curtly and withdrew one Keyblade and transmuted it into Oblivion, while trransmuting the other into Oathkeeper.

I growled as Leon started to lean down on the Gunblade, I quickly shoved forward with both of my weapons and tapped into a pulsing stream of energy in the back of my mind.

I involuntarily roared "LIGHT!" my vision blurred as the energy took over, I threw my head back and crossed my arms in front of me, then I swung them out holding them in a 'T' stance. I spun twice in the air and smiled as I levetated before all of my friends. I grinned as Leon stared wide-eyed at my fully charged Final Form.

I spoke with a hollow echoing voice "Do you conciede?" Leon straightened and sheathed the Gunblade, "Now Sora, you know the rules of combat, noone may take an advantage if it involves magic."

I grinned and retorted "Now Leon, You know that last time we fought, you used your Limit Break to finish me off, this is no different." I idly twirled a keyblade on the tips of my fingers.

Leon shook his head and spoke "Sora you are a riot." I grinned goofily and reverted back to my normal state.

I paced back and forth in my room. After our 'mini' battle out in the courtyard, Leon had promptly escorted Kairi, Riku and I to our own rooms in the castle.

I stared out over the semi-completed town through my twelfth storie window. It had been nearly a year since I had last seen this town, and they STILL haven't finished construction.

Kairi had smiled when we were shown to our rooms, "Sora, I really enjoyed spending time with you the last couple of weeks." she frowned, then continued, "...Even if you suck at inventing things." I winced as she reminded me of my failed experiment the day before yesterday. I had attempted to invent a machine that cleans messes and fixes broken objects by itself... But, as the angry mob had so clearly demonstrated... it failed... MISERABLY.

Anyway, Kairi kissed me on the cheek (and laughed at the lobster red that crept over my face) and closed her door.

GOD! What I wouldn't give to relive that moment on the Gummy Ship! I had dreamed of that moment months, No! _Years_, before it happened!

Anyone who knows what I've done during my adventures (and from what Roxas has told me, His too) would know without a doubt, that I love her...

"SORAAAAA!" I whirled around and stared at my door as it rattled in it's frame.

"SORAAAA, OPEN THIS DOOR!" I panicked and drew my keyblade.

The door began to bulge dangerously as a thunderous BAAAAAAANG rattled the walls.

My only defence against whatever greusome fate lay out in the hall gave way with a resounding KRRRRUNCH!

I shielded my eyes from the cloud of dust and wood splinters. I lowered my arms, but not before all the air was crushed from my lungs as someone swept me up into the most spinecrushingly tight bear-hug in history.

"SORA I'M SOOOO HAPPY SO SEE YOU OH MY GOD HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO STAY, HOWLONGAREYOUGOINGTOSTAY?" A voice screeched in my ear.

"PUT. ME. DOWN!" I managed to grunt

I fell in a mangled heap at the stranger's feet.

I looked up into a face bordered by black hair, and topped with a red headband.

"Jeez Yuffie, are you trying to kill me?" I asked wearily.

Yuffie smiled brightly, "No. I can if you want." she stated proudly. I stood and swept the dust from my pants, "Anyway, O'm not sure how long I'm going to be here, I need to visit King Mickey soon."

Kairi appeared in the doorway with a look of utter shock on her face, "What in the name of all things sacred happened in here!" I glanced at Yuffie, whose face transformed into a scowl at Kairi's presence.

Kairi caught sight of Yuffie and scowled back. I stood and said shakily, "Uh... everthing's fine...j-just visiting friends that's all!"

I still don't understand what happened... Last year, I brought Kairi to Radient Garden so she could see the place where she was born, she had really enjoyed herself until she met Yuffie... The two of them seemed to be getting along... until Yuffie found out about my feelings for Kairi.  
>The day after they met, Cloud told me that they had gotten in an argument in the of the market, that escalated into a borderline fist fight until Cloud and Leon managed to break it up... I had been hoping that Yuffie would be off somewhere else around this time of year...<p>

Kairi put her hands on her hips and said menacingly, "When you've finished _visiting_, come over to my room, I need to talk to you."

I nodded, she turned on her heel and walked briskly back to her room.

Yuffie's scowl flipped back into a smile, "See you soon, I gotta go tidy up a bit, my house is a freakin' mess!" She jumped to my window, "See you later _Loverboy_!" She grinned and disappeared.

I looked from the destroyed door to the window. She needs to learn the difference between a door and a window.

With an exasperated sigh, I stood and made my way to Kairi's room.


	5. Embarrassment Supreme, To Go

**I must admit, I didn't think this story would go this far... I expected to maybe post three chapters. Then I figured everyone would drop it like hot lead... But I think I might actually have my first good fanfic here! Thanks to those who keep reviewing!**

**Sora: "Just shut-up and post the damn story already GEEZ!"**

**Me: "Why do you have to be such an idiot all the time?"**

**Sora: "You SUCK, plain and simple."**

**Me: "Maybe I do, maybe I don't, that's up to the readers to decide."**

**Sora: "Whatever."**

**Me: "WOULD YOU QUIT WITH THE 'WHATEVER' TRIP, YOU SOUND LIKE MY LITTLE SISTER!"**

**Sora: "Ok ok sorry..."**

* * *

><p>I don't know how long it took me to walk the twenty feet from my room to Kairi's, but it felt like and hour at the very least.<p>

I edged around an ornately carved wooden table and stopped in front of her door.

I don't know if any of you have ever been sent to the office before, but that's EXACTLY how it felt.  
>You hear your name over the intercom, "SORA NOMURA PLEASE COME TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE."<br>Instantly, a cold sweat runs down my back. I numbly walk down the hall to the office, the secretaries somehow appear to be wearing black executioner's hoods. I stop in the principal's doorway wondering if today is the day I die...

I gripped the brass handle. Thoughts barreling through my mind like highway traffic, _Oh god, is she upset with me? Did I do something wrong? DID RIKU MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT ME LIKING HER?_

Scratch that last thought... If it involved something concerning my feelings toward her, would she have asked me to her room as if she were ordering a dog to stop drinking out of the toilet?

Sorry... gotta releave some stress somehow right?

I pushed the door open and stepped into the room. First thing I expected to see was Kairi waiting for me with her keyblade (Destiny's Embrace) out and ready to beat me like a piniata. But instead I realised that she wasn't present. Either she was in the bathroom... or she was hunting Yuffie down. (Unlikely)

"Sora?" Kairi stepped out of the bathroom... IN NOTHING BUT A TOWEL!

My jaw hit the floor, _WHAT IN FRESH HELL?_

"Well don't just stand there, sit down!" She gestured to the bed

I nodded slowly and cautously walked to the bed. I stared at her as I lowered myself onto the comforter.

I made quick note of the blush that stained her cheeks, "What did you want to see me about?" I asked thickly

She smiled and said, "Just a moment, I need to get dressed." She sauntered back into the bathroom and closed the door.

Instantly all manner of thoughts crowded my head (Not all of them entirely decent, I might add) _How am I going to say anything to her? Is she going to say something about Yuffie? Did I make her mad on the Gummy Ship?_

I stared at the plaster celing and let out a huge sigh, "How am I going to tell her?"

"Tell me what?" Asked Kairi, now fully clothed, and paying me her full attention.

"N-nothing nothing... W-what did you want t-to ask?" I said, mentally kicking myself for stuttering

She out her hands on her hips and asked, "What did you want to tell me?" She took a couple steps and plopped down onto the bed, "I know you, when you've got something on your mind, you stutter." She pointed to my hands, which were pawing at the quilt as if I were kneading dough, "And fidgit with anything you can get your hands on!" She said accusingly

I hastily pulled away from the blanket and stuffed my hands into my pockets, "I wanted to ask you something, but... not now." I said hanging my head, "Maybe later?"

She rolled her eyes and grumbled, "Ok, fine." She fell back onto the bed and ticked her hands behind her head, "I wanted to ask you if we could walk around town again, last time that..." She scowled. "Over-grown brat interupted."

I sighed in relief and nodded at her smiling.

"GREAT!" She squealed happily, "What time?"

I cocked my head, "Ummmm... How about noon tomorrow?"

My smile faded as I watched hers morph into a scowl, "Why not today?" She sat up suddenly, "It has something to do with Yuffie DOESEN'T IT?"

I thew up my hands pleading, "NO NO, I just want some time to figure out where we should go, that's all!"

She lowered herself back onto the bed. "I've known you liked her for a while." She turned her head toward me, "Six months ago I read it in your journal, '_I've loved her for a while now... I must've tried a hundred times to tell her, but every time I try it seems like I get interrupted somehow... I WILL tell her the very next time I see her! I will tell her, I love her!._" She stood and glared at me, "Did you think I wouldn't see that? It was right in plain sight on your bed!" Her voice escalated to yelling towards the end.

I hunched my shoulders against the icy words she spat at me. I looked over at her and said, "I wasn't talking about Yuffie... I was talking about..." I trailed off at the expectant look in her eyes

"You..." I said with mortal finality.

She remained in the same threatening stance for several minutes. Eventually her hands slowly slid from her hips as a look of dumbstruck realization crept over her face, "You... weren't talking about... her?"

I nodded sheepishly.

She giggled, "You lunk-head!" She made her way around the bed and sat down beside me, "You did an excellent job of hiding it!" I glanced at her , "I _seriously_ thought you mean't Yuffie!"

I shook my head, "I tried and tried and tried to tell you, but every time I couldn't seem to gather enough courage to say it..."  
>I bent my head and groaned, "I should've kept that to myself, but you forced it out of me."<p>

She frowned and asked, "Why?"

I glanced at her, "Because you like Riku.." I trailed off and buried my face in my hands, "I know that you like him, he's a good guy... albeit a little heavy on the dark clothing and residual dark powers... but still a good guy."

Kairi humph'd and said, "I don't like him like that... he is my friend, and will always be my friend."  
>She lightly gripped my chin and turned my head to hers, "Say it..." I frowned, "W-what?" She chuckled, "What you wrote in your journal... I want to hear you say it..."<p>

I knew _EXACTLY_ what she meant, but I just didn't believe I was hearing this. She leaned in closer, "Say it Sora..._Please_?"

I- I... See? I can't even say it to myself... Anyway

I pressed my forehead to hers and whispered, "I-I love you Kairi..."

She burst into tears and kissed me. _I mean REALLY kissed me..._

_My mind went BLANK... HERE was KAIRI, KISSING ME! I fought two and a half years to rescue her, I begged Saix to let me into the realm of darkness to find her. AND NOW SHE WAS KISSING ME!_

I used the only instincts I had left, and kissed her right back.

God in Heaven... If there is a heaven... I don't want to visit, Heaven can't be as good as this!

She pulled back and stared into my eyes, "Sora... I love you too."

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close, "I never thought for one second that I would hear you say that.." I whispered

She giggled, "I never thought I'd hear you say that either..."

**Riku's POV**

"Where are they?" I shouted angrily

"Where are who?" Asked a gruff voice from behind me. I turned to the voice, and saw a man with blond hair styled in the BIGGEST mess of spikes I've ever seen, he was wearing a black outfit and carrying a sword that must've weighed a ton!

"Who are you?" I asked warily. The figure smirked, "Cloud Strife, you?" I frowned and responded, "Riku Kyrin."

He nodded stiffly, "You Sora's friend?" I nodded absently.

"Cool, Sora really is a strange kid huh?"

I grinned and nodded, "Yeah, he can be as fruity as a bowl of Froot Loops, but he has some spirit."

Cloud nodded at me and said, "I've heard Sora talk about you more times than I can count, can you use a Keyblade too?"

I made a fist and The Way To Dawn, materialized in a flash of purple sparks.

Cloud nodded, "I figured you could, seems like everyone Sora knows, has some strange ability or magic no one else has... Speaking of Sora, do you know where he is?"

I shook my head and said, "No, I've been looking for him for hours, he isn't in his room so I figured he might be running around town."

Cloud hooked his sword behind his back and nodded his head toward the Baily, "Let's check with Merlin, he might know."

**Merlin's House**

Merlin's house was a little crowded. I spotted Leon hunched over a blueprint in the corner with Yuffie, and I gave him a wide berth.  
>I followed cloud to a large round table, Merlin spotted us and grinned, "Cloud my boy, what can I do for you?"<p>

"We need to find Sora, can you summon him here?" Cloud asked blandly

Merlin nodded and rolled up his sleeves, "Stand back." He wiggled his fingers and said clearly, "Sora Nomura, We need you here!"

**Sora's POV**

I brushed my lips to Kairi's one more time, as I kissed her I registered the sound of a light POP, then the sound of several people gasping.

I pulled away from her and flushed red, I was now standing inside Merlin's house... surrounded by everyone I knew (Minus my Parents) Including Yuffie...

"Ummmm... Hi?" I whispered

Riku looked at Cloud, Leon looked at Cid, Aerith looked at Yuffie, Yuffie was glowing red and flexing her fists. Riku stepped backward and mouthed at me, "Not cool dude..."

To my utter surprise, Cloud started chuckling. I looked at Leon who was trying with all of his will to choke down the laughs.

Aerith snorted and started to laugh out loud. Cloud finally let his out and doubled over slapping his knee, Leon joined him and said, "Sora...If youcould only see the... look on your face!"

Kairi was blushing like the rose she was (Sorry, I just can't control it now...)

Merlin raised his hand to silence the jubulance in the room, "Sora... I'm sorry for the inconvienient, ah summons."

I held up my hand and said evenly, "No problem, just give me a warning next time, Ok?"

Merlin nodded.

I saw Yuffie storm out the door and dissapear in a cloud of smoke.


	6. Confrontations and Hostility

**Chapter six is in! Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this moment... Maybe I did, who cares?**

**Sora: "Finally, a chapter that involves me kicking some serious butt!"**

**Me: "I think you should kick yourself, cause YOU are a serious butt."**

**Sora: "Ignore him folks! This chapter is all about me, enjoy ladies!"**

**Me: "You've already got Kairi, are you sure you need more?"**

**Sora: "YEAH!"**

**Me: "Well don't look now, but I think Kairi heard that..."**

**Kairi: "YOU SCUMBAG!"**

**Sora: "RUN!"**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>I walked to the door and looked out, as I expected, there was absolutely no sign of Yuffie.<br>Why is it whenever I find a little bit of happiness, everyone else is angry and develops a grudge?

Kairi placed a hand on my shoulder, "Don't worry Sora, everything will turn out alright." I grunted my acknowledgment and walked back into the room.

Riku walked over and said, "Dude! That was freakin' hilarious, how did you manage to get Kairi to kiss that horse's ass you call a face?"

I turned a neutral gaze on him and said, "Don't start with me, I've got no patience right now."

He slapped me on the back and yelled, "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU AND KAIRI KISSED!" He turned to the room and said, "This is the first time I've heard of Sora gettin' some action from women!"

I grabbed his shoulder and said, "Shut-up, by God in Heaven, if you want to continue breathing, shut-up!"

He made like he was going to say more to his captive audience, until I tightened my grip and came _dangerously_ close to casting a thundagun spell on him.

Cloud walked up behind me and slammed me hard on the back, "I never imagine you to be a ladies man Sora!" He ruffled my hair (it returned to it's ordinary shape almost immedeatly.) and grinned at Leon who chose right then to say, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Sora Master of The Keyblade to Women's Hearts!"

Aerith, Merlin and Cid nearly fell out of their chairs laughing.

I blushed angrily and yelled, "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Everyone stopped laughing and stared at me alarmed...

...until Merlin said, "Now now, temper temper!"

The laughing continued mercelessly.

I grabbed Kairi's arm and made my way out of the house, and up the street to the market.

Kairi stopped me suddenly and said, "Sorry about all the teasing..." I smiled at her, "It's not your fault, those guys just don't know when to quit."

"What?" "Guys?" "Sora?" Asked three identical voices.

I turned around and grinned at Donald's three nephews, Huey, Dewy and Louie.

"Ah just Merlin and them, whatcha doin' fellas?" I asked smiling

Huey shook his head, "Nothing today... have you seen uncle Donald lately?"

I frowned, "Not lately no, why is he here?"

Dewy shook his head, "No, we wanted to ask him if he will let us stay at the castle for a while."

I smiled, "If you ask him, I'm sure he will!"

Louie grinned, "I doubt it, last time we spent time at the castle, Uncle Donald was sent flying through the kitchen and into the stove. We spent three hours trying to convince the cooks that he wasn't the main course for the feast!"

Kairi glanced at me, and I busted out laughing, "I'll bet his feathers were ruffled!"

They all three nodded their heads chuckling.

"Whatsa goin' on here?" Yelled Scrooge McDuck (Donald's Uncle) from his ice cream stall across the street.

I smiled at him and said, "Nothin' much, how about you?"

Scrooge smiled and said, "I'va got somthin' that I think you'll enjoy Sora!" He turned to the freezer vault and pulled out a single sky-blue ice cream bar, "Sea-salt Ice Cream! I've finally found the Recipe!"

I smiled, "Excellent, any chance I could get a couple bars off you?"

Scrooge smiled and said, "Sure, free o' charge o' course! Especially since you've got such a beautiful lady with ye today!"

I watched as Kairi blushed and accepted one of the bars, "Thank you Mr. McDuck."

Scrooge scowled, "Please call me Scrooge young lassie!"

Kairi nodded. I turned to her and said, "Let's go over to the Baily, we can sit and eat there."

She smiled and grabbed my hand, and we both set off for some privacy.

I pushed on the wrought iron gate and held it open for Kairi to pass, "Right this way Madame!"

She did a mock curtsy and said, "Why thank you kind sir!" I grinned and said, "Why Miss Hikari, I did not know you possessed such stunning manners!"

She grinned toothily, "There's a lot you don't know about me, but let's just say that what you don't know can't hurt you!"

I grinned back and walked to a window that looked to the west, and to the remains of Maleficent's Castle. "We still have to take care of that damn castle!"

Kairi put her hand on my shoulder, "One thing at a time Sora." She pulled me into a hug, "Just because you are who you are, doesn't mean that you have to fix every little thing that goes wrong."

I nodded grimly and said, "Sorry about earlier, I hate it when people tease me like that… They've been doing that for a while, in fact they've been doing that since 'discovered' my journal."

I grimaced and continued, "I hate it even worse when they tease me about you…"

Kairi smiled, "That's nothing to worry about, and after all, you can't hide what you feel right?"

I smirked at her, "Can't hide what you feel? I thought I was doing a pretty good job of it after what you said: 'You did an excellent job of hiding it; I _seriously_ thought you liked Yuffie!' Now say that I can't hide what I feel!"

Kairi gave me a pained expression, "Are you always going to be an ass about these kinds of things?"

I grinned at her, "Yeah, that's my job! To keep you, Riku, Cloud, Leon and the others on your toes!"

Kairi growled and punched my shoulder, "I'll get you somehow." She glared at me evilly, "_And_ I'll make it look like an accident!"

I shivered as my Ice-Cream melted on my hand, Kairi giggled.

I glared at her and swabbed my ice-cream over her right hand. She shuddered and growled, "You'll pay for that!"

"Sure." I replied grinning.

Just then, a thought crossed my mind… I grabbed her hand and ran my tongue over the melted ice-cream.

"Ewww, quit that!" She yelled, jerking her hand away.

I pouted at her, "Why? You shouldn't waste ice-cream."

She grinned, "I know what you were trying to pull, pervert!"

I growled, "I'm NOT a pervert!" I chuckled to myself, "I just can't seem to get enough of you."

She chuckled, "Yeah, yeah, whatever Sora, I know you too well." She eyed me, "You try anything and everything to get a rise out of me, I, however find myself constantly reminding you that your tricks are futile."

I stood and flicked my popsicle stick out the window, "Who cares? It's still funny!"

She arched an eyebrow, "Really now?"

She stood and wrapped her arms around me, and pulled me in for another kiss.

Just when I thought I was going to take this kiss to the next level, Kairi pulled away and grinned, "How funny was that?"

I sagged, "Aw Kairi, just when it was getting good!"

"Enjoying yourselves?" Said a voice from the gate. I turned and faced the one person I DID NOT want to see...

"Hey Yuffie." I said cautiously. All I recieved in return was a scowl

"Hay is for horses, you're a jackass, I'll feed you later!" She said venomously

I stood and said as courageously as possible, "Come on, now is not the time for a fight, I love Kairi, you are my best friend."  
>I stopped for a moment and continued, "The VERY least you could do is be happy for me!"<p>

I tensed as she made a grab for her kunai, "DON'T DO IT! I know all of your moves, remember, we fought in the Underdrome and I won almost sixty-seven times against you AND Leon."

She smirked, "Only because I went easy on you, Leon knew it and played along." She took one step toward me, "You would never have beat me if I had done otherwise."

I made a fist growling, "I told you now is not the time to fight Yuffie... Don't make me fight you."

She put her hands on her hips and laughed, "You still can't beat me, I can feel your strength and it's not enough."

I grinned as I realised something, _She doesn't know I can dual-wield_.

"How about this?" I summoned a kingdom key in my right hand as usual, then I summoned another in my left, "I forgot to tell you about my little power shift."

Yuffie's calm confidence slipped, she pulled her Fuma Shuriken and said, "That's still not enough Sora." And threw it straight for my head.  
>I rolled to the side and caught it in mid-air, "C'mon, you need to learn to aim."<p>

I twisted it in my grip and buried it deep in the wall beside me, "Axel used a weapon similar to yours, two of them in fact, he was MUCH more skill with them than you." She gasped as it sank into the stone.

I dismissed one of my keyblades and said, "Go away, if you can't accept that I love Kairi... Then I don't want to be your friend anymore."

I started to turn, but hesitated as I watched a single tear trail down her left cheek, "Why..." She whispered  
>I faced her and said, "Why what?"<p>

She snapped her head up to look me right in the eye, "Why can't I make you love me?"

I frowned and shook my head slowly, "I love Kairi." I affirmed stiffly, "Nothing can change that... I fought long and hard to find and save her, now that I have her, I will never let my connection to her go."

I glanced at Kairi, her eyes sparkling.

"I... don't want to hurt anyone... I've experienced that for far too long, I don't want anyone else to experience it either." I said slowly.

Yuffie stepped closer to me and whispered, "Sorry..." And she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a kiss.

I struggled but she gripped me tighter. _Damn! I didn't expect her to be this strong!_

She eventually released me, I gaped at her. She hung her head and ran from the pavillion.

I was utterly shocked. As much as I hate to admit it... I was shocked, but not unpleasantly so...  
>I eventually regained my senses, and enough courage to look at Kairi...<p>

...She was _smiling_... SMILING!

I gaped at her, "WHAT ARE YOU SMILING AT? SHE FORCED A KISS ON ME, AND ALL YOU CAN DO IT SMILE?" She started chuckling.

"I know I should be mad, but I just can't help from laughing!" She said while gripping her sides.

I walked over to her and asked, "Are you mad?" She shook her head as she started to assume control of her convulsing lungs, "N-no, I am actually rather pleased, maybe she'll leave you alone now that she managed to kiss you."

I draped an arm over her shoulders and said, "Come on, we need to get some rest, I've gotta visit the King tomorrow."

She nodded and gripped my hand. I led her back to the Castle.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six is completed! Sorry for lingering on Kairi and Sora's relationship, But I'm a little dry on chapter ideas at the moment...<strong>

**I figured Yuffie ought to have a major part in the story (simply because she is a minor character...) So I figured I should develop her POV.**

**I might be delayed in posting the next chapter cause my Senior Prom is tomorrow... And it's gonna SUCK! I don't have a date...**

**This is Soulless1 signing off... Until Next Time!**


	7. Test in the Heart

**Kingdom Hearts: Power Unknown Chapter 7! This is going to be good! I plan to add something particularly nasty for Sora! (I also plan to have a certain blond-haired-kid make a special appearance!) Please Enjoy, tis' no greater joy to me, than to know you liked my work... even if I don't own anything pertaining to Kingdom Hearts...**

(**A/N: go to .com and look up 'Sora' or 'Drive Form' and you'll get all the information you could possibly want!**)

**Sora: "Ah quit your whining and get on with it!"**

**Me: "Do you really want me to take away your brand-new Sync Blade Ability?"**

**Sora: "NO!**

**Meanwhile back in Radient Garden:**

* * *

><p>I opened my door and scrambled in. I slammed it and put my back to it.<p>

Kairi had nearly convinced me to spend the night in HER ROOM!

I escorted her to her door, I kissed her goodnight, she decided to ask, "Sora... would you spend the night in my room tonight? For all we know, Yuffie may try something on me after I fall asleep."

I froze as the request sank into my skull. _She wants me... to sleep in her room? Nah, I must've heard wrong... didn't I?_

She cocked her head an said again, "Will you sleep in my room?" I chuckled nervously

"Umm... I can't... I-I have a... A COLD!" I shouted the last two words and blushed, I turned on my heel and sped down the hall to my room.

Now you know the details... I don't want to place myself in a situation where control over my own body will belong to her.

I sighed and trudged to my bed. I turned and fell onto the matress like a ton of bricks.

I stared at the ceiling in complete and utter misery... How am I going to resolve the situation with Yuffie?

Yuffie... I don't think I want to see her face to face again... God only knows what she's planning now.

I sat up and looked out the window, night had blanketed the world like a thick black wool blanket. I stared out into the darkness...

I felt a strange pressure on my mind... I projected all of my attention to it, it was strange... yes... strange indeed.

_Come to...me...Sora...Your power..is...required..._

i felt a strong tug from inside my skull, I panicked and thrashed on my bed.

_Fight it not...you are merely being transported..._

I squeezed my eyes shut and gasped, the pain was _so_ intense, I gripped the blankets for dear life, seeking somekind of relief.

The pain stopped... so suddenly in fact... that I don't remember... what? Where am I?

_You have come...at last_

I opened my eyes, I was in the Station of Awakening... I looked from side to side, trying to make some sort of sense of all this.

I summoned my Keyblade and yelled, "STOP TOYING WITH ME!"

A deep chuckle echoed in the monsterous expanse of darkness surrounding me, I peered into the gloom. I gasped and summoned my other Keyblade, "XEHANORT!" I charged the black cloaked figure, just as my Keyblade was about to connect with his shrouded skull... he dissapeared.

I whirled around and yelled, "SHOW YOURSELF!"

_Calm thyself...for I am not he...the one you know as Xehanort has returned to his true form..._

I looked up, "Now what's that supposed to mean?"

A figure clothed in a white version of the Organization XIII cloak stepped into existence directly in front of me.

"Greetings young one." He raised his hand and made a fist. To my utter surprise a Keyblade appeared, but not just any Keyblade... Oathkeeper.

The Keyblade that Kairi gave to me... "THAT KEYBLADE BELINGS TO ME!" I lunged. The figure side stepped me and said in an emotionally neutral voice, "I am not your enemy, I am here to guide you."

I hit the floor and rolled to the edge of the stained glass pillar that was the floor. I stood and demanded, "Then tell me why I keep having these LUDICROUS DREAMS!"

The figure lifted his hands to his hood. I gasped... It was Roxas...

"I know what you are thinking Sora... I am not Roxas... I am known as Ventus, Keyblade Apprentice.

He lifted his Keyblade and transmuted it into a grey-green Keyblade... it looked odd, the shaft was bent slightly, the grip was located on the side of the blade, and the 'teeth' were fanned out like a bird's wing.

"I am part of you... though that was not always so... I was used by my old teacher, Master Xehanort. He separated me from the darkness in my heart to use in creating an ancient Keyblade capable of destroying the worlds, one by one." He smiled

"I fought with my own darkness and gave up my heart to destroy this Keyblade, The X-Blade." He stepped forward and placed his hand palm first over my heart, "My fragmented heart reached out to you, and I becam a part of you... That unfortunately, it the only reason why you can use the Keyblade..."

He looked at the floor like he was ashamed to say that, "Your Nobody, Roxas... is my representation in the realm of light."

I gave him a questioning look. He smiled and stood, "I am here to tell you this: The time is almost here... the time when you will fight the most powerful force of darkness that Kingdom Hearts has ever seen."

I nodded, "I'm ready!" He grinned and shook his head slowly, "No, you are not."

He unzipped his cloak and let it fall to the floor. Underneath he was wearing some sort of armor... I have to admit, it was the coolest thing I've ever seen.

"You must first prove yourself worthy to use all of my own abilities." He held his Keyblade perpendicular to the ground and said, "Fight me, win and I will give you all of my power, Lose and I will take something of yours that you value above all things."

My body assumed my battle stance, I transmuted my Keyblades into Roxas' favorites, Oathkeeper and Oblivion.

Ven jumped into the air swinging his Keyblade (Wayward Wind) in a half-circle, yelling, "**ZERO GRAVIGA**!" The ground seemed to drop out from under my feet, and I was dragged bodily into the air upside down. I threw Oblvion like a hatchet yelling, "**COUNTER**!" Oblivion buried itself deeply into the Station's floor, a sphere of yellow light expanded from it completely despelling Ventus' Gravity spell. Twisting as I fell, I jerked Oblivion out of the ground and faced Ven. Ven flipped a few times and landed on one knee, "Excellent counter spell... I must say, we might be evenly matched when it comes to magic... But how are your hand-to-hand skills?" He asked casually.

He closed the gap between us using Quick Run. I crossed my Keyblades in front of me, stopping his attack, "Nice reaction speed... but you need to work on your technique." He shoved on my crossed blades sending me flying backwards.

I pressed my left hand to the ground and somersaulted into a standing position, "You need to learn to predict your opponent's moves, if you keep fighting like this, I'll have you beaten in no time." He grinned. I pulled a small watch-like device from my pocket (King Mickey asked Master Yen Sid to make this for me, it taps into my magic to calculate how much Drive Energy I have left.) I glanced at the screen... Good, just under seven bars, more than enough to end this.

I straightened and said, "Let's finish this." I threw my head back and roared, "**VALOR FORM!**"

My vision darkened and turned blood-red. I could feel the raw energy soaking into my bones, up my muscles and into the deepest recesses of my mind. I bent forward as the post-transformation euphoria faded, leaving my bright red fleur-de-lis encrusted uniform, "Ready?" I asked grinning maniacally.

Ven's eyebrows lifted in mock surprise, "Very nice... but can you keep up with this?" He held his keyblade level with the ground and yelled, "**SPEED RAVE!**" He charged forward swinging his Keyblade in circles and arcs around his body giving his body the appearance of a silver whirlwind. I ran forward and started swinging in every direction I could mamage with out breaking my wirst... up, down, left, right, down, thrust, uppercut, slash, down, stab, thrust, block... I could feel the constant build up of strain as my muscles tensed.

Ven stopped swinging and backflipped several feet from me. He stood and gazed at me, "Yes... I thought you had something hidden from me... Your control over your Drive transformations has increased exponentially." He opened his hand to allow Wayward Wind to dissipate into the air.

He placed his hand on his chest and bowed, "I concede defeat... Yours is definitely the greater skill."

I relaxed slightly and released the flow of magic, my clothing flashed and cracked, flying from my body like broken glass.

Oathkeeper and Oblivion dissipated into white and black flames respectively, "I won?" Ven smiled and nodded, "I was not aware that you had been training so hard... you have more than surpassed my expectations."

I frowned, "Well THAT wasn't much of a challenge..." Ven chuckled, "I knew that I had lost when you activated Valor Form. If you had chosen Final Form, you would have slain me with out even having to move... due to Final Form's Automatic Retaliation Ability."

"So what happens now?" I asked slowly. Ven shrugged, "I know not... I expect that you will visit King Mickey tomorrow... When you do, be sure to ask if he remembers Terra..." I cocked my head, "Terra?" Ven shook his head, "You will learn eventually."

I looked around as my vision glared white...

... And I woke lying on my bed.


	8. LEAVE ME ALONE!

**Hey guys! Chapter Eight is typed and ready to read!**

**I know that Roxas has yet to make an appearance in my story, I apologize (He is my favorite character after all) I will be introducing him sooner than you expect.**

**OH! And one more thing, If you guys want me to make the story a little more action-packed, let me know!**

**Sora: "Yeah you need to add some action, I think I fell asleep from lack of challenges."**

**Me: "If you fell asleep, why are you talking to me now? That sounds a little derogatory don't you think?"**

**Sora: "Whatever."**

**Me: "Yeah whatever little sister."**

**Sora: "You little..."**

**Enjoy the story folks!**

* * *

><p>I leapt out of my bed and summoned the Keyblade... My breathing was labored as I finally realised what happened, I had fallen asleep and had a nightmare... plain and simple...<p>

"Who were you dreaming about?" I turned to my window and growled as I spotted Yuffie, "None of your freakin' business Yuffie!"

She pouted with her hands on her hips, "Now that's not the way you talk to your friends!"

I smirked evilly at her, "Friends? Since when were YOU my friend?" I dismissed my keyblade and said, "You lost the right to call me friend when you tried to 'fight' me yesterday."

Yuffie jumped down from the window sill and sauntered over to me, "I don't want you as a friend..." She grinned, "What I want mister waiter, ain't on the menu." She raised her arms toward me, I jumped backwards and summoned the Keyblade and pointed it at her, "DON'T TRY ANYTHING LIKE THAT AGAIN!" I scowled at her and turned to the door, "I LOVE KAIRI, not you... not anyone else... I told you once, now I've told you twice, if you can't accept the truth, I don't want to be your friend."

I stepped to the door... I froze as I recognized the sound of someone crying.

I turned back to Yuffie. She was sitting on my bed with her head in her hands... crying.

I groaned and walked over to her, "Don't cry... I just don't want to screw-up my chances with Kairi... She means everything to me, I fought for her, I begged for her, I gave up my heart to _free_ her. I just want people to understand how hard I tried to finally obtain what I've wanted." I sat down next to her, "Can't we just be friends?"

Yuffie turned her head to me. Her eyes were swollen and red, I couldn't help myself so I hugged her, "I'm sorry, I just want things to go back to the way they were."

I released her and stood, "Are we square?" Yuffie gazed at me... for several minutes. She stood and said, "Only if you give me another kiss..."

I choked and sputtered, "W-what? N-no I c-can't do that!" She frowned at me, "You would rather have this war continue?"

I shook me head. She grinned, "If you give me a kiss, I will leave you and Kairi alone..._permanantly_."

I couldn't belive this! I just finished telling her that I wanted nothing to do with her if she continued all of this nonsense, and now she was trying to blackmail me into kissing her! I shook my head slowly... if a kiss was the price of my relationship with Kairi... then I would pay that price...

I stepped toward her and said, "Alright... But just this once!"

I snaked my arms around her waist and lightly pressed my lips to hers. My first instinctual reaction was to pull away... but for some reason I intensified the kiss...

God forgive me... I was _enjoying it_... as strongly as I argued against it, I was enjoying it...

Yuffie groaned into my mouth as she pressed herself to me, I pulled her closer.

_**No, no, NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!**_, I screamed to myself. I somehow managed to regain control over my treacherous body, and forced myself away from her.

"_Never again_." I growled, I turned from her and hissed over my shoulder, "Never again... I WILL NEVER KISS YOU AGAIN." I stormed from the room, seriously debating wheather or not to start casting a Destrugun spell at anything that looked even remotely like a living creature.

**Yuffie's POV**

I grinned as he left, "I got him! By God I've got him now!"

I turned to faced the window, and bounded out into the cool night air.

**Sora's POV**

I sat on a balcony on the sixty-seventh floor of the castle. I was at least three hundred feet from the ground. Radient Garden looked as peaceful as it could possibly be. Not a single sound could be heard, the night air reinforced the feeling of seclusion this world had.

I smiled as a streak of light skimmed across a row of cloud. I usually never had the chance to observe a shooting-star. But my crest-fallen attitude returned at the star's absence.

I was disgusted with myself... How could I have done such a despicable thing? I've betrayed Kairi... I've betrayed myself... _especially myself_.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Yuffie meant what she said about leaving you alone." I looked to my left to see Roxas sitting next to me, like usual he held two Sea-Salt Ice Cream bars. He held one out to me and said, "Take it, you're gonna need it."

I accepted it and forced it into my mouth, "Thanks Roxas... you above anyone else knows how it feels to be between a rock and a hard place don't ya?"

Roxas nodded absently and gave his ice-cream a lick, "I've been there... With two people... Namine, the girl who showed me who I was during my imprisonment in Simulated Twilight Town... And Xion... I still can't believe I remember her... She spent more time with me than Axel, I can honestly say that I love her... even if she was a replica of you and me... God she was beautiful."

I nodded and took a bite out of my ice-cream.

The wind was starting to pick up. It was cold, but I couldn't care less at the moment. "Roxas... do you know anything about my dream earlier?"

Roxas closed his mouth over the remains of his ice-cream and pulled out the now-clean stick, "Yeah, I remember what happened... don't you?" He asked with genuine concern.

I shook my head, "Barely... All I remember is a voice saying 'Ask The King if he remembers Terra.' nothing else."

Roxas nodded, "You don't remember fighting Ventus?" I turned and gaped at him, "Ventus? Who's Ventus?"

Roxas flicked his popcicle stick out into the air and watched it drop. He recounted the entire encounter to me.

I leaned back, bracing my arms against the cold stone, "So, I have access to all of Ventus' abilities?"

Roxas nodded. I sighed and sniffed loudly, it was starting to get bitterly cold.

I braced my hands on the ground and backflipped into a standing position, "C'mon man, we should be getting to bed." I held out my hand.

Roxas shook his head and mimicked my actions. He tucked his hands behind his head and grinned, "Even if I'm supposed to be Ventus, you and me have so many similarities it's not even funny." I rolled my eyes and started back to my room.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the short length, but I ran out of ideas. With some good luck I should have a fresh batch tomorrow! (and a good writing coach...)<strong>

**This is Stephen L. Groves signing off... Until next time Keyblade wielders!**


	9. The Master Returns

**Sorry for the delay folks, here is Chapter 8! I am expecting to make it to Chapter 20 or 35 before the story will finally reach a close.**

**Sora: "WHAT? YOU'RE PLANNING AT LEAST TWENTY MORE CHAPTERS?"**

**Me: "Yeah, got a problem?"**

**Sora: "Uh, YEAH, I didn't sign up for this!"**

**Me: "You didn't sign up for anything, I chose to write this, understand?"**

**Sora: "Whatever, if you make me look stupid in this story…"**

**Me: "**_**Whatever**_**"**

**Enjoy!**

I pushed my door open and strode to my bed, "Roxas, are you angry with me?"

Roxas stopped mid-step, "About what?"

I closed my eyes, and thought for a while. Eventually I reopened them and turned my gaze on him, "About being my Nobody?"

Roxas' eyebrows knitted together, forming a questioning/bewildered expression, "Why would I be angry about that? It's not like I can help it, I'm a part of you, and you're a part of me… Is there something I should know, 'cause I am just confused here man."

I smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of my head, "I don't know what's up with me lately… I just feel like I've done something wrong to everyone I meet."

Roxas grinned, "Have you looked at a reflective surface lately?"

My head snapped up as I glared at him, "What was that supposed to mean?"

Roxas tucked his hands behind his head and grinned goofily, "Oh, nothing… you wanted to know why you felt like you've offended everybody, I was just saying that you should look in a mirror…"

I growled at him and flopped onto my bed, "What-the-hell-ever. Good night, get some sleep." I rolled over onto my side and said, "You know it's true what they say about dumb blondes…"

I felt a sharp pain in my lower back, "OUCH! YOU SON OF A-"

My door banged open, "WHAT IS IT? WHAT'S WRONG?" Yelled an exasperated Kairi.

I jumped up and smiled widely, "Ummm… Hi Kairi! Just me and Roxas."

Kairi squinted at me, then at Roxas, "Well can you keep it down, I was having this really great dream." She said with an exhausted sigh.

I looked at the floor and said, "Sorry, Roxas kicked me… I didn't mean to wake you…"

Kairi looked up at me and said, "Well whatever, can I spend the night in here? I want to make sure that you two keep it down."

I frowned and said, "Why on Earth would you want to sleep in here?" I turned to Roxas for help, he raised his hands and said, "Dude you're on your own, don't drag me into this!"

Kairi pouted, "What's wrong, afraid I might try something?" I stepped backward and fell off the bed. I groaned as a throbbing pain filled the back of my head. Kairi rushed around to me and squeaked, "Sora! Are you alright?"

I leaned up and stared at her. Through my heavily jostled brain, a single thought surfaced, _Beautiful_...

I pushed myself into a kneeling position and said, "I-I'm fine... just a little headache."

Roxas stepped toward me and whispered, "If you were waiting for the opportune moment dude, that was it."

I glared at him then turned back to Kairi, "I uh, don't think you should sleep in here... Roxas and I were going to have a man-to-man talk..."

Roxas' face went blank. Kairi glanced at him and snorted, "What could you two possibly talk about that I'm not supposed to hear?"

I shook my head, "Nothing that would interest you i'm sure."

Kairi threw up her hands and shouted, "How are we supposed to have _proper_ relationship if you keep on acting like this?"

I shook my head and said, "I don't know, but I do know that it is now 3:30 _A.M._ and I still haven't gotten to sleep!"

Kairi frowned and said quickly, "OH. I'm sorry, I didn't know." She blushed and ran from the room.

I looked at Roxas who was noddin his head, "_Smooth_ REAL smooth dude."

I rolled my eyes and plopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. _Man, I miss my room. The glowing stars and planets that plastered the ceiling. The endless posters of various action movies... the different drawings I've done with Namine._

_But one thing reeeeeally bugs me... what was Kingdom Hearts talking about when it said, __"This is my gift to you so that you may complete your task; remember you are The Keyblade Master you alone hold the power to save me."_

_Do I have another enemy to fight? Will I be ready for them if I do? Will Ventus have something to do with this?_...

I laid there and slowly felt darkness take me...

I woke to the sound of someone pounding on my door, "WAAAKE UUUUP!"

I stood and rubbed my eyes groggily, "WHO THE HELL IS IT?" I yelled sleepily. I glanced at Roxas who had fallen asleep on a velvet couch.

"IT'S RIKU, WHO THE HELL ELSE DO YOU THINK IT COULD BE?" Yelled Riku's voice through the mahogany door, "Get up, I thought we were going to see the King today?"

I yelled through the door, "Yeah, we're going."

"Well get a move on! It's almost 2:00 p.m. what are you doing?"

I jerked and turned to the clock sitting on the nightstand, sure enough it said 1:58 p.m.

I grabbed my clothes and hauled them on. Roxas stirred and said, "Whazetime?" I rolled my eyes, "Two o' clock, we gotta get to bookin' I was supposed to go see the king today."

Roxas stood and streched, "Ok... let's get goin' then."

Wrenching the door open and yelling, "WARM UP THE ENGINES WE GOTTA TIMETABLE TO FILL!"

Riku threw his door open, "ABOUT DAMN TIME YOU WOKE UP!"

Kairi waltzed around a corner grinning, "I thought for sure that I was gonna' have to wake you up personally!"

I grimaced, "It wouldn't have been pleasant..." She frowned, I continued with a grin spreading across my face, "...for you to see me like that!"

She pursed her lips and said cheekily, "And just what do you mean by 'pleasant'?"

I paled slightly, "Nothing I would say out loud in front of Riku." I retorted hotly

Riku rolled his eyes, "Are we gonna' go or are you two gonna' start makin' out right here?"

I grinned at him, "Nah, you'd enjoy that too much."

Riku turned and started down the hall, "Great Maw, 2:30 _SHAPR!_" he yelled back over his shoulder.

"Got it!" I yelled back. I turned to Kairi, "Ready?"

She smiled and nodded. As I started to walk away she grabbed my hand, "Shall we?"

I smiled and tugged her down the hall.

The blue crystal canyons glittered like an ocean in the afternoon sun as Kairi and I made our way to the Gummy Ship. I smiled as we turned a corner into a little cave, "Beautiful isn't it?" She nodded and whispered, "Yeah it is." I kissed her on the cheek and said, "But not quite as beautiful as you."

She turned to me with a smile, "How long were you cookin' that one up?"

I grinned, "Long enough, how's that?" Kairi grinned back, "Needs work, I can't tell you how many times I've heard guys compairing me to the ocean, or to a flower."

I scowled, "Who?"

She blinked at me and smirked, "No one important." She released my hand and sprinted through the exit.

I growled and jetted off after her.

Riku was walking around on the Gummy Ship's roof, he waived and said, "ALL SYSTEMS GO! NOT A SCRATCH ON HER!"

I grinned and yelled back, "GOOD, LET'S GET MOVING!" He nodded and jumped down.

The entry ramp slid down as the motion sensors registered our presence. I ran up inside and jumped into the pilot's chair.

"Who told you to drive?" Asked Kairi as she slid into the co-pilot's chair.

I grinned, "I did."

Riku walked up beside me, "If you scratch my ship, I will shove my keyblade up your ass and break it off." he sat down next to me and smiled, "IGNITE ENGINES!"

I jumped at his change of tone. He pointed to a red button, "Hit. The. Button." I rolled my eyes and said, "Buckle up."

His eyes bugged out of his head, I mashed the accelerator pedal to the floor.

Kairi squealed as the ship _literally_ blasted off of the ground.

I punched some coordinates into the navicomputer and said, "Estimated time of arrival... one hour, twelve minutes."

I turned my chair, "So... what shall we do in the mean time?"

Riku shrugged, "I guess we wait." Kairi grimaced, "You guys are no fun."

I cocked my head and glanced at riku, "Why don't we have a little sparring match?"

Riku shook his head, "No, I haven't repaired the simulator yet. And I am not going to have this ship harmed in any way!"

Nodding I stood and made my way to my own room.

Groaning I fell onto the bed and dozed.

"SORA NOMURA, PLEASE REPORT TO THE BRIDGE." I jumped up and glared at the intercom.

My door slid open with a hiss, and in walked Roxas, "We've arrived." he said blankly.

I nodded and walked back into the control room. Kairi beamed at me, "We're here!"

I smiled

Riku walked to the exit. Kairi and I followed briskly.

Kairi gasped at the garden, "WOW, I didn't know you could grow hedge in that shape!" she said gesturing to a large green drummer boy.

I shook my head and turned to the white marble castle that towered above us, "I think we'll find Mickey in the Library."

Riku nodded and walked through the garden entry door.

I gripped Kairi's hand and led her up the dark stairwell. My boots echoed sharply in the enclosed tunnel, I glanced back at Kairi then back to the stairs. Riku reached the top and said, "Where is the Library?"

I pointed to the left, "Follow the hall, go straight to the end and through a red door."

He nodded and followed me.

We passed the door to the King's Throne Room and Kairi stopped, "What's in there?" She was looking up at the door's sheer height, "Surely that's not the entire door?"

I shook my head, "No that's just for looks, and don't call me Shirley."

She glared at me, "Must you quote movies at everything I say?"

I shrugged, "I think it's funny." She growled, "I don't."

"Come on, you two argue like an old married couple!" Said Riku angrily

"Now who's quoting movies?" I said smiling. Riku threw up his hands and stormed off toward the Library.

Riku reached the door first and knocked, "Entre vu!" Said a voice in a horrible french accent. Riku pushed it open and walked in with Kairi and I tailing him.

"OH MY GOODNESS!" Squeaked a mouse in a bright yellow dress, "SORA! IT'S REALLY YOU!"

I nodded smiling widely, "It's me your highness!" Minnie jumped down from her chair, "How long are you planning to stay?" She inquired eagerly. I shook my head, "I just need to speak to the King for a few moments, do you know where he is?"

Minnie smiled, "Yes, he is currently in the Hall of The Cornerstone, shall I escort you there?" I shook my head, "That won't be necessasary, I know the way." She nodded and turned back to her desk.

Back in the hallway Riku grabbed my shoulder, "What's the Hall of The Cornerstone?"

I pressed my hand to the gigantic yellow doors of the Throne Room and said, "The Cornerstone is a large globe of light that prevents the Heartless from entering this castle, The Hall of The Cornerstone is a room below the Throne Room that houses the Cornerstone."

Riku nodded and walked over the the other handle of the door. I gave him a questioning look, "What? I'm gonna help you open this thing."

I shook my head and said, "Watch." I leaned on the handle forcing open an average sized section of the door, "Both doors open during formal events." Riku's mouth formed into an 'O' shape, then he followed Kairi and I inside.

Kairi gasped, "LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS PLACE!" The room was almost the same size as a Football stadium. I grinned and walked to the Throne and pressed a small green button under the right armrest.

The Throne folded and slid away with a large section of the floor reveiling a white staircase. I gestured to it, "Shall we?"

Riku started down the stairs with me.

I stepped off the stairs and peered into the gloomy hall, "Is anyone here?" I called loudly. When no one answered, I said again, "King Mickey?"

A great gust of wind roared across the room, nearly blowing me and Riku off our feet. Kairi grabbed my arm and squeaked, "What is that?"

I shook my head and summoned my Keyblade, "Whoever is here, SHOW YOURSELF!" I roared to the dark hall. Riku summoned his Keyblade and said, "TODAY IS NOT THE DAY TO TOY WITH US, GOT IT?"

A deep chuckled filled the room, causing the hair on my neck to stand.

A figure in a black cloak stepped out of the darkness. My stomach squirmed. He was holding a Keyblade.

"So you are Sora." Said the figure with mock interest, "I was expecting someone with your reputation to be a little older than the whelp that stands before me now."

I summoned my other Keyblade and demanded, "Who are you?"

The figure's chuckle echoed again, "My name is of no importance now... But I assume you have some idea who I could be... I most certainly am not your King Mickey, if that's what you are wondering."

I groped into my mind and activated my Final Form. Mentally controlling my Keyblades I crossed them behind my back, "WHERE IS THE KING?"

The figure lifted his free hand to his hood. I gasped as the hood fell, he was bald except for a white goatee on his pointed chin, his eyes were a burning gold.

I floated toward him slowly, "You can't be... I thought I killed you..." My words trailed off. _I haven't even seen this guy before, How could I have killed him?_

He laughed, "I don't think you have killed me before... I was bereft of my memories for many years, until I assumed the identity of my Master, and shreds of my past life began to slowly reveil themselves to me." His eyes sparkled, "I am Master Xehanort, and I have come to reclaim my Apprentice."

I frowned at him. In the back of my mind I felt a strange echoing feeling. Roxas stepped forward from me and said, "You chose the _worst_ time to return."

Xehanort chuckled, "Ventus, I thought I would never see you again! It's been so long my boy, how have you been?"

Roxas scowled and summoned Ven's Keyblade, "YOU TRAITEROUS DOG!"

Roxas charged Xehanort. Xehanort smiled and teleported behind him, "Too slow my young apprentice." and grabbed Roxas by the back of his head.

My vision blanked out. _Roxas charged Master Xehanort, Xehanort grabbed Roxas by his helmet and held him above the ground. With an evil smile, he froze Roxas' Armor solid._

My vision returned. I charged after him and started casting thundaga and firaga spells faster than I could think.

Xehanort teleported again and appeared beside me, "Such power, you could become the greatest Keyblade Master who ever lived, join me... become my apprentice and claim a power you couldn't possibly imagine." his voice echoed in my head, I screamed, "NO!" and grabbed both of my Keyblades and twisted around to catch him in the back of the head. He dodged under them and said with a smirk, "You have a stong will Sora, one day it will be the death of you."

His outline faded and finally dissapeared.

I turned to Roxas and said, "Why does everyone call you Ventus?"

Roxas frowned, "I am Ventus."

I blinked, "Then... where's Roxas?"

Roxas materializaed next to me, "Here."

I switched glances between the identical apparitions, "What in bloody hell is going on here?"

Ven (That is to say, the one on my left) spoke first, "I have been granted the capability to leave your body for short periods of time, when I saw Master Xehanort, I couldn't control myself." His face contorted with rage, "He is the reason I am a part of you." His Keyblade blazed with green fire, "He split my heart in two, extracted the darkness from it and created my dark-half." He looked at me, "Vanitas... something I think you'll find interesting, is that he looked exactly like you. The only difference was his eyes were yellow and his hair was black."

He stood there shaking with rage for several moments. Finally he said, "If you ever have need of me, I'll be ready."

He slowly became transparent... then finally faded from view.

I turned to Riku, "Looks like we have something else to do." Riku nodded

"SORA!" I turned to the staircase, "I knew you'd show up eventually!"

A small figure wearing a version of my clothes walked over to me.

"King Mickey!" I smiled, I bent down and pulled him into a hug.

"Sora..." He said after I released him, "We need to talk."

I nodded, "Yes we do."

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the delay folks, my infernal computer crashed so I had to buy a new one.<strong>

**With any luck I oughta have two or three more chapters posted by saturday.**

**Send me a private message if you've got any questions or comments, I'll be happy to respond!**

**Soulless1 signing off...**


	10. To The Edge of Oblivion

**Chapter 10! Mickey and Sora meet at last! **

**Sora: "This actually… is… getting interesting, as much as I hate to admit it."**

**Me: "HA! I KNEW I'D GET YOU EVENTUALLY!"**

**Sora: "THAT DOESN'T COUNT! CHAPTER 9 WAS INTERESTING!"**

**Me: "Who cares, I got a compliment from you!"**

**Enjoy readers!**

Mickey grinned and held out his hand, "I'm glad you finally made it!" His expression darkened, "No doubt you saw that Master Xehanort."

I nodded and took his hand in a vigorous shake, "Yeah I saw him, _and_ fought him, apparently he wants Roxas."

Mickey blinked, "Roxas? Why would he want Roxas?"

I recounted Ventus' story, and my encounter with Xehanort. "He tried to recruit me for a few moments, I resisted and tried to attack but he teleported away and said my will would one day 'get me killed'."

Mickey crossed his arms in thought and paced around the room.

He summoned his Keyblade and pointed it toward the Cornerstone, "**OPEN**"

The hall began to shake violently as the Cornerstone glowed like a sun.

Turning to Mickey I shouted, "What's going on!"

"I have something I need to show you…" He said stiffly.

A warm breeze flowed across the room. The Cornerstone flashed and transformed into a shining golden door.

"Follow me." Said Mickey

I grasped Kairi's hand and led her through the door.

My skin tingled as the warm golden light engulfed me. My mind was whirring as if it had been charged with electricity.

Kairi's grip on my hand tightened, I squeezed back trying to reassure her that everything was ok. I turned my gaze on her and she smiled back.

I turned back to Mickey as he walked further into the light.

The light faded to reveil a large white castle.

Castle Oblivion.

I growled at Mickey, "What is this?"

Mickey frowned, "You don't remember?"

I shook my head, "I remember, but what are you trying to pull?"

His frown deepened, "Pull?"

I released Kairi's hand and yelled, "I NEVER WANTED TO COME BACK HERE!"

Mickey held up his hand, "Wait, just hear me out... I've brought you here because, there is something extremely important to Ven here." He gestured to the very top of the castle, "Ven's body..."

My mouth dropped open. _Ventus' body is here?_ "What do you mean?"

"Ven used to be a Keyblade Apprentice as you well know... But after his battle in the Station of Awakening with Vanitas, his best friend Aqua and I transformed the remains of their homeworld 'The Land of Departure' into Castle Oblivion... Aqua placed Ven's body inside a sealed room called The Chamber of Waking... Ven's Heart had left his body and joined with your own heart Sora."

I stared at Mickey, "Why am I here? Are you gonna extract Ven's heart from me?"

Mickey shook his head, "No, if his heart is removed from yours... you will... lose the ability to wield the Keyblade..." He looked at the ground, "It will be Ven's choice to separate from you."

Roxas and Ventus walked out of my body on opposite sides. Ven stepped forward, "I wish I could become my own person again, but I don't think it would be very smart to force Sora to lose the ability to use the Keyblade..."

Roxas nodded, "What would happen to me if that happened anyway? I think Ven and I are both perfectly fine with Sora."

I smiled appreciatively at the identical pair. (For the record, Ven is wearing his usual clothing from Birth by Sleep.)

Riku placed his hand on my shoulder and addressed Mickey, "So why are we here anyway?"

Mickey grimaced, "It seems that a large groupe of Lesser Nobodies have settled here... apparently they have a leader, and he is extremely powerful." He pointed at me, "And I need you three to clear them out."

_My kind of work!_ I thought gleefully, "Alrighty then!" I shouted and charged across the bridge.

Roxas and Ven fell into step with me grinning from ear to ear. Ven started fumbling with his left front pocket and pulled out a keychain.

"Here, take this." He said while holding the chain out to me. I slowed my pace and came to a stop before the gigantic golden doors.

"What's this?" I asked. Ven grabbed my hand that held the Keyblade and clipped the chain in place; instantly the Keyblade flashed and transformed. I turned my eyes from the light and waited. Once I realized the light had died down I examined the new weapon.

It was at least three feet long, the blade itself was bronze in color while the handle was blue-green. The end of the blade was rounded and sported six 'teeth' with three on each side of it.

I glanced at Ventus, "What Keyblade is this?" He gazed at it and said in a low tone, "The Ends of The Earth... Terra's favorite Keyblade."

"Who?" Asked Roxas. Ven turned to him and said, "Terra was my best friend, he used this Keyblade all the time."

I nodded. Ven smiled and said, "This Keyblade has the ability to transform."

"What?" I asked. "You can change the shape into any form you want." He held out his hand for the weapon, "Let me show you."

I handed it to him, he hefted it above his head. The Keyblade flashed and transformed into a gigantic crossbow, he smiled at me and said, "Pretty cool huh?"

I nodded, mouth open. He handed it back to me and said, "Try it."

Using the same tactic, I held it above my head and willed it to change. To my surprise it changed into a _huge_ hammer.

I grinned at the door, _this is going to be fun_.

Turning to the door, I swung the Keyblade behind me and forced as much momentum as possible into my swing. The blade connected with the door with an explosive BANG! Removing the Keyblade to view my handiwork, I grinned at the monstrous dent. I repeated the process three more times. With the last swing I yelled into the large hole in the door, "IS ANY NOBODY HOME?"

Roxas began to chuckle, I thundered on the door again, completely blasting it off it's hinges.

I turned to Ven, "Well I guess Nobody was expecting us..." Ven began to laugh.

I grinned and walked into the entry hall.

Ven and Roxas filed in behind me, "Keep on the ready guys, God knows what has moved in since the Organization left." I said gravely.

Ven made a fist, forcing his Keyblade (Wayward Wind) into existence in a shower of green sparks. Roxas made a whip-like gesture with his hands and pulled Oathkeeper and Oblivion out of the air.

We made our way deeper into the hall, the rooms were a pure stark white. I skimmed the wall with my gaze, until it settled on a large black cloud in a far corner.

"That doesn't look healthy." Commented Roxas, I nodded and took a few steps toward it.

_Biggest. Mistake. EVER!_

In the blink of an eye a large black and orange creature bounded out of the cloud of darkness and aimed three massive claws at me.

I dodged to the left, _Just barely_ missing it by inches. I rolled into a standing position and cast a Blizzagun spell at it's back. The creature roared in pain and turned on Ven, who had opened a large black gash on it's left flank.

Using the same tactics from the fight between he and I in the Station of Awakening, Roxas jumped into the air and started blasting it with crosses of light.

The beast turned back on me and roared in pure savage rage. I jumped over another massive swing, and threw my Keyblade at it's face. As it connected Ven activated his Speed Rave mode and started slashing at it faster than the eye could track.

The creature screamed in pain and rage.

_Nearly there! Just a few more attacks ought to do it!_

As that thought entered my mind, the creature exploded into a cloud of black gas, and dissappeared.

"YEAH! THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT!" Shouted Roxas.

I grinned and turned to Ven, "Excellent work!"

Ven grinned tiredly and said, "Not too bad yourself... need some work on your aim though." He gestured at his left leg...

...my Blizzard spell had placed a thin layer of frost on his left pants leg.

I scratched the back of my head and bowed my head, "Sorry." He grinned, "No problem."

I aimed my hand at his leg and croaked, "**HEAL**!" The frost melted away.

Ven turned to a large white door at the back of the chamber, "Through there, if I 'm not mistaken."

Roxas approached the door and gripped the handle, "Damn! It's locked!"

I grinned, "Aren't you forgetting something Roxas?"

He shook his head, "What are you talking about?"

I twitched my Keyblade, "This."

His mouth dropped open into an 'O', "That's right… The Keyblade can lock or unlock any door or treasure chest."

I carefully aimed the Keyblade at the door, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Said a clear voice behind us.

I whirled around to face a woman wearing black and blue armor, "Who are you?" I asked.

She placed a hand over her mouth and chuckled, "Ven knows who I am."

At the mention of his name, Ven turned around.

A look of pure joy spread across his face as he yelled, "AQUA!"

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><p><strong>Aqua's Return! Hope you liked my latest addition to this story!<strong>

**See ya later!**


	11. Another Meeting? and parting

**HEEERRES Chapter 11! Aqua has reentered the arena!**

**Sora: "Could you stop introducing new characters? It's taking attention from me!"**

**Me: "DEAL WITH IT! Just because you are the main protagonist, doesn't mean that it has to be all about you, ya' know?"**

**Sora: "Did you just say 'ya know'?"**

**Me: "Yeah… what about it?"**

**Sora: "You sound like Rai… the muscle-bound moron who follows Seifer everywhere."**

**Me: "Who cares? I gotta' keep things interesting, ya' know?"**

**Sora: "Ugh…"**

**Anyway, enjoy! The next chapter ought to be posted by Monday!"**

Ven sprinted across the room and swept Aqua into a hug, "Where have you been?" He squealed.

Aqua smiled at the blonde latched onto her waist, "Looking for you, believe it or not."  
>She pulled away from him and looked at me, "So… you are the one who carries Ventus' heart." She looked at me with a critical eye. I backed up a little; her gaze was more than a little hostile.<p>

She stepped closer to me and said, "You don't look like the Keyblade Master I've heard of… have you taken the Mark of Mastery Exam?"

"What's that?" I asked. Her eyes widened in surprise, "You don't know what the Mark of Mastery is?"

I shook my head. With that, she burst into a rage, "HOW CAN THIS BOY HAVE THE TITLE OF KEYBLADE MASTER AND NOT TAKEN THE MARK OF MASTERY?"

Ven jumped in front of me and shouted, "HOLD IT A MINUTE, CALM DOWN!"

Aqua stopped mid-rant and glared at him, "Why hasn't he taken the Exam?"

"He had no Master to instruct him, he has learned to use the Keyblade by himself." Ven responded. Aqua gave him a questioning gaze, prompting Ven to elaborate.

And elaborate he did. He started with the story of my first adventure involving Xehanort's Heartless. After describing my use of the Dark Keyblade to extract my own heart to free Kairi's, he went on to explain why there were currently two copies of himself currently standing in the room. (Ventus and Roxas) He then recounted my battle against Organization XIII, and my acquisition of the Synch-Blade Ability.

All the while, I was standing and shaking my head; _He's making it sound sooo much cooler than it was._

When he finished, Aqua turned to me and said gravely, "You have done much since the night you first used the Keyblade… as Keyblade Master, I hereby name you Keyblade Master as well… _although_, I would have preferred that you had undertaken the Exam just to make things formal."

I smiled and turned back to the door, aiming the Keyblade at the large lock.

"I told you, don't do that!" Shouted Aqua.

I turned and asked, "Why?"

"I created this world, it is unkind to unwanted guests… if you use the Keyblade to unlock this door, this world will expel you as a foreign object." She pointed to the door, "Only _I_ know the structure of this world, and as such it will only respond to me."

I nodded and gestured at the still-locked door, "Well can you open it for us? We kind of need to get in…"

She rolled her eyes and asked, "Why do you need to get inside of my castle?"

Ven stepped forward and answered for me, "King Mickey asked us to clear this castle of the Nobodies, they've completely overrun it."

"Nobodies?" She asked with a quizzical look on her face, "How could Nobodies have infiltrated my castle?"

"I'm not sure, but we need to clear them out nonetheless." I stated firmly. "Plus if Ven's Body is here, we need to make sure that it's safe from harm."

Aqua rested her head on her hand as if thinking, "You are right… Ven's Body is in the castle… But I placed it in a room that no one except me can enter… The Chamber of Waking."

She turned to the door and said, "Is breá liom tú." The door groaned and flexed like ripples in water.

"Follow me." She said as she walked through the door. _Literally through it._

"_What is it with everyone and portals?" _I grumbled to myself as I followed her through it. The feeling of this portal was similar to the one that Mickey used to transport us here: warm and thick like water.

I opened my eyes. I was in a large white room (no surprise there.) The walls were covered in a strange symbol, not unlike the charm that Ven wore on the front of his jacket...

In the center of the room stood a tall white throne, and on that throne...

"Ventus?" I said slowly. Aqua turned and nodded, "There is Ventus' Body... I placed it here after he lost his heart."

She faced me fully, "His heart was splintered, and so was unable to remain inside his body... his wayward heart migrated to you... and fused with yours." She finished with a grim look on her face.

"One would surmise that you dislike me." I said with a weak grin.

She smirked, "Perhapse, but I do not nonetheless... I simply wish that things could have been different."

I walked up to her and placed one hand on her shoulder, "Things will be different... Ven will eventually return to his body... and everything will return to normal."

She nodded, "Yes... But you do realize that if Ven returns to his own body... you will cease to be a Keyblade wielder."

I grinned, "Maybe... I hope that I have earned the right to wield a Keyblade."

She turned to the Portal, "Let's be going, now that you know that Ven's Body is safe, you can turn your attention to other matters." She winked at me and chuckled at my blank expression, "I was refering to Kairi."

"How do you know about her?" I stuttered.

"I sensed her and the King enter my realm with you." She grinned, "And I sensed the feeling you carry for her."

I blushed and clenched my fists, "Can we change the subject? What is there for me to do concerning Master Xehanort?"

She flinched at the name, "Nothing you can do with your current abilities... Even with the ablility to dual-wield, you are far below his abilities." Gesturing at the portal, "Let's go."

Back in the entry-hall Aqua addressed Roxas, Ven and I, "I suggest you visit a few worlds to refamiliarize yourselves with interdimentional travel... Firstly I reccomend you visit one world in particular called 'The Keyblade Graveyard'."

Ven nodded with a scowl on his face, "Ok, but why there? You yourself should know why I hate that place."

She nodded, "Quite... But there is an important piece of information there that you will find intriging." She grinned and dissappeared.

Ven and Roxas walked on either side of me on our way back up to where Mickey and Kairi waited. It was sort of an awkward silence, considering that Roxas and Ven shared equal parts of my own body...

"Heya guys! How'd it go?" Asked Mickey eagerly.

"We made it as far as the entry-hall... there are no Nobodies currently inside Castle Oblivion." Answered Roxas.

"Then why were you fellas gone for so long?" Said Kairi.

I recounted the entire encounter _especially_ with Aqua and Ven's Body.

"So she is alright after all.." Whispered Mickey under his breath. he snapped his gaze to me, "Well since we are done here, I think it's about time we visit Master Yen Sid!"

I cringed, Yen Sid CREEPED me out. Even though he taught the King how to use a Keyblade, he had this ominous aura about him that could send a Heartless running for it's mommy (if it had one...)

We filed through the Portal and back into the Hall of the Cornerstone


	12. Darkness Is Power

**Chapter 12! By God in Heaven, This story is getting to be HUGE! I've almost used up all the space in my iPod because of it!**

**Sora: "No one cares about your stupid iPod, just continue the story!"**

**Me: "Are you ever going to quit being hostile to me?"**

**Sora: "Not until you give Kairi and me some time alone." 'wink wink'**

**Me: "ARE YOU INSANE? THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL, I'M GOING TO DEFILE THIS STORY LIKE THAT! Unless my readers want it to go that far... Which I highly doubt by the way..."**

**Ummm... anyway, enjoy folks!**

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><p>The hall was strangely cold... as a matter of fact, it was unnaturally cold. Summoning my Keyblade, I turned to Mickey, "Is there something different about htis place?"<p>

Mickey narrowed his eyes and looked around the room, "Yeah there is... it's cold..."

I nodded, "There is something here that shouldn't be... it might be a Heartless."

Ventus and Roxas stood with their backs to me, "Why in the hell are we always getting attacked by these blasted creatures?" Yelled Roxas angrily.

"Because you are so incredibly interesting to these creatures." Said a melodious voice above us. I looked up to see Master Xehanort.

"What the Hell do you want now?" I shouted. Xehanort chuckled, "I want your hearts, my powers are incomplete without _another_." He said ominously.

Ven aimed his Keyblade directly at the older Keyblader's heart, "I don't think you want to be screwing with us right now... _especially_ now that there are..." He counted Mickey, Roxas, Kairi, Riku, Me and himself, "Six Keyblades at the ready to kill you now, not counting Roxas and Sora's ability to use two!"

Xehanort grinned, "_Eight_ Keyblades? Now that is _impressive_!" He said gleefully, "That is more than enough to kill me... but you must remember your dear friend Terra!" His malevolent grin widened considerably, "With his weapon, that makes nine!" He levitated closer to the ground and widened his arms as if to embrace the entire room, "But I must warn you... there are powers that are _much more threatening_ than me!"

Roxas pointed his Keyblades at Xehanort, "LEAVE NOW, or I will BLAST you into Oblivion!"

"You have no more power over me than a fly has over the spider, deny it as much as you want Nobody, _you are nothing compaired to Sora and Venuts_!" Xehanort cackled madly, and gestured at Roxas' weapons, "Your Keyblades are a _shadow_ and a _false copy_ of true Keyblades!"

I charged at Xehanort, my vision had turned a bloody red, "YOU BASTARD!" I shouted.

Xehanort grinned and held out a single finger; both of my Keyblades clanged against his finger, but continued no further.

I gaped in utter shock.

Xehanort forced his hand against my Keyblades, in an exact mirror of Ventus' move in the Station of Awakening. I was sent sprawling.

"USELESS!" Shouted Xehanort, "You try to fight me! YOU ARE NOTHING!" His calm and collected demeanor evaporating like water against molten steel. He bared his Keyblade at us, "Surrender now and I will spare your pathetic lives!" He smiled, baring his teeth, "Refuse, and I will destroy every, last, pathetic, one of you!"

Wincing in pain, I stood and said, "Pathetic? TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE!" I reached into the back of my skull and tapped into my drive energy. _You are in deep crap now!_

I grinned through the orb of light that had enveloped me. My grin faded... something felt horribly wrong with this transformation. Out of the corners of my eyes, I watched as pure darkness crept around me. "NO!" I shouted, my transformation had been corrupted! I was regressing to the one Drive Form I couldn't control... Anti Form.

**Riku's POV**

The orb of Light that surrounded Sora turned blacker than the darkest night...

Sora shouted in panic, "NO!"

_My God... What's happening to him?_ I thought wildly. My question was answered as the black sphere dissapated.

A creature with black skin and piercing acid-yellow eyes now crouched where Sora had once stood.

_Anti Form. I've only heard of this form... Donald and Goofy had mentioned it. Whenever Sora abuses his Drive abilities, his past experience as a Heartless corrupt his transformation and turn him into an echo of his darkest manifestation._

Sora released a menacing growl, and fixed his gaze on Xehanort.

If the situation hadn't become so dire, I would've been tempted to laugh at the shocked expression that was glued to the Master's face.

Quicker than the eye could blink, Sora charged and slid in a circle around the startled Keyblade Wielder. Xehanort turned and lashed out at the black figure. Sora danced out of range and slashed at him with his claws, growling like a rabid dog. Xehanort swung his Keyblade down trying to catch Sora's head. Sora jumped into the air and dove at Xehanort from a sharp angle, arms swinging wildly. Xehanort brought his Keyblade up to intercept, but Sora flipped and aimed both feet at Xehanort's chest. Sora's momentum was forced all in one second into the old man's body, sending him flying.

I glanced at everyone around me, they were staring in utter disbelief at the battle unfolding before us.

My attention snapped back to the fight as Sora let out a magnified primal roar of trumph. Sora stood over Xehanort's crumpled form leaning on his Keyblade, "Your powers have indeed grown boy... I never expected you to use the darkness, my own strength, against me." He straightened slowly and looked at Sora defiantly, "But you have not defeated me yet, nor will you ever gain enough strength to do so." He swung his Keyblade in a circle and dissappeared in a cloud of black mist.

Sora transformed in a flash of purple light and fell to his knees, "What just happened?" He asked weakly.

"Nothing you would want to know." I stated, almost sick to my stomach.


	13. Hospitalization And An Invitation

**Sorry for the lack of length in the last chapter, I felt that the Anti-Form transformation should have a section to itself. After all, it is a remnant of Sora's time as a Heartless. (His time as a Heartless extended to the end of Roxas' story in Kingdom Hearts II)**

**Sora: "Once again I can't believe I'm saying this, but that last section involving Anti Form was kind of cool."**

**Me: "Thank you."**

**Those little diologues between me and Sora are not entirely my own... My cousin George writes Sora's part.**

**(It's true, Stephen ain't very good with one-sided arguements!)**

**HEY!**

**Enjoy the Chapter Folks!**

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><p><strong>Sora's POV<strong>

I stood holding my head in my hands, "Whatever happened, I feel like I've been hit over the head by Lexaeus!" I said grimly.

"That's not exactly what happened..." Began Kairi carefully.

"Yeeeah... you kind of went berserk." Said Riku.

Ven walked over and put his hand on my shoulder, "What was THAT?" He said skeptically.

"What? Why is everyone looking at me like that?" I was more than a little alarmed by the 'OMG HE'S A MONSTER' stares I was recieving from them.

Roxas stepped forward rolling his eyes, "You transformed into Anti Form, that's why they are acting like this..."

I paled, "Anti Form?" I looked around, "I activated Anti Form?"

Roxas nodded, "Although I'm sure you didn't mean for that to happen, which form were you aiming for?"

"Master Form." I said plainly, "The last thing I remember was activating my drive energy."

Ven shook himself as if he were in a dream, "Even if it was powered by Darkness, IT WAS AWESOME!"

I backed up at his enthusiastic shout, and turned to RIku.

He was smiling mildly and looking at Ven as if he were some sort of circus act.

"Wait... Where is Xehanort?" I asked, suddenly alarmed.

Ven smiled, "You KICKED HIS ASS! He left in shambles! I've never seen anyone fight like that!" He shouted and jumped around in circles.

"Okay, okay, I get it..." I said meekly. "There are some times when I have a little bit of awarness during the transformations, but that's not very often." I explained.

Kairi stepped forward and hugged me, "I'm glad you're back to normal... that was the SCARIEST thing I've ever seen!" She said while burying her face in my shoulder. I smiled to myself and placed one hand on the back of her head, "Sorry... I love you..."

She gazed up at me... the tears in her eyes almost broke my heart, "I love you too." She said smiling shyly

"Ahem..." I glanced up. Everyone was staring.

I hastily pulled my hands from her body and blushed, "Um... S-sorry guys." I cleared my throat loudly, "What's next?"

Ven shook his head and said, "We follow Aqua's advice of course! To the Keyblade Graveyard!"

I nodded and turned to Mickey, "Do you know how to get to this Keyblade Graveyard?"

Mickey's eyes flicked to Ven then back to me, "Yes... but Ventus knows the way better than I..."

I shurgged and turned to Ven, "Okay then... can you take us there?"

He nodded stiffly and said, "Let's go to the Gummy Ship..." He started toward the stairs, I moved to follow him, but the floor suddenly rushed up to meet me just before my vision faded...

**Ventus' POV**

I walked to the stairs, but stopped at the sound of Kairi screaming. I whirled around to see Sora falling, unconscious before he even hit the ground.

Kairi rushed forward and lifted his head into her lap yelling, "SORA! SORA PLEASE WAKE UP!" I walked over and examined the limp form in from of me, "He's lost a lot of his magical power... he'll be fine once he gets some rest, get him to a bed..." When no one moved I roared, "HELP ME!"

Riku rushed over and lifted Sora's shoulders while I grabbed his feet.

"Take him into the Throne Room, I'll arrange for a streatcher from there." Said Mickey. I nodded and started for the stairs.

**Riku's POV**

I strained under Sora's dead weight, "You need to ease up on the Sea-salt Ice Cream pal!" I wheezed. Ven smirked, "Yes he does."

"It's like carrying a bag of sand!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the dark stairwell.

"Quit complaining and get him into the Hall!" Shouted Ven.

After more grunting and groaning (and a healthy amount of cursing) we managed to relocate him to the Throne Room, where two armor clad rabbits waited patiently.

Ven and I hefted him onto the stretcher and watched as he was carried off.

Kairi rushed up the stairs and yelled, "WHERE DID THEY TAKE HIM?"

I pointed to the hallway, "To the Infirmery." She sped off in the direction I indicated.

**Kairi's POV**

I burst into the Infirmery and rushed to the counter, "WHERE IS HE?" I roared at the secretary.

She looked at me in absolute surprise, "W-who a-are you r-referring to Ma'am?" She said shakily.

"Sora Nomura!" I shouted.

She rifled through a list and said, "Room 2B, down the hall on the right-hand side."

I turned and rushed to the room. Inside I spotted Sora lying on the bed like he was sleeping.

I dove at the bed crying, "S-Sora... everything's going to be okay! I know it!" Tears were clouding my vision.

"Yes he will be alright in a few hours, he just needs some time to regenerate the energy he lost in that blasted Drive Form..."

I looked over at the door, Mickey stood there with a sad look on his face, "The major side-effects of Anti Form, whenever activated, all available Drive Energy is depleted, use of the Keyblade is nullified and Sora is completely unable to use recovery or restorative items."

He gestured to a recliner that stood in the corner opposite the bed, "I took the liberty of preparing you a room... But I suppose you will be wanting to stay here with him, correct?" He asked smiling.

I nodded.

"Very well... but I must warn you... he could be here for anywhere between three hours and one week." He added grimly.

**Sora's POV**

"What the hell?" My voice echoed.

I gazed into the deepening gloom surrounding me. Nothing...absolutely nothing.

I made a fist, attempting to summon the Keyblade. Once again... Nothing.

"What is this?" I shouted to no one in particular.

"You have lost so much... but learned so very little." Said a voice.

I whirled around searching for it's source. Not a single thing could be seen in the thickening darkness.

"I wonder... do you even know what will happen in the future that awaits you?" Asked the voice mockingly.

"Who are you and what do you want from me?" I said loudly.

A dark chuckle, which faded into silence.

I asked again.

"You already know me, though you have never seen me before. What I want you cannot give." Came the answer.

"QUIT TOYING WITH ME!" I shouted.

"Ah, ah, ahh, there is no need to become angry. I simply wish to deliver a message." Scolded the voice.

"Then deliver and leave me be!" I growled.

"Very well... The Keyblade Graveyard holds many secrets... and many dangers... touch not the weapons of the ancient past... lest your own weapon molder with them till the end of time..." The echoes slowly faded into oblivion.

I blinked, Light... then Darkness again...

"C'mon Kairi, you need some sleep!" Said a voice fro somewhere to my left.

"NO! I told you already, I'm staying right here until he wakes up!" Shouted Kairi's voice.

"But you've been here for _three days_, with no sleep, and you refuse to eat anything that's brought to you! _You freakin' refused a Paopu Fruit Salad! Are off your damn rocker?"_ Shouted the voice, which I recognized as Riku.

"I'M NOT HUNGRY!" She roared back.

I started to open my eyes, but a fresh wave of fatigue washed over me and carried me back into unconsciousness.

I jolted in my sleep and shot into a sitting position on the bed. Glancing to my left, I spotted a clock. _1:12 a.m., Great... just great._

Moving to stand up, I noticed a gentle pressure on my right arm. I glanced down and smiled at the sight. Kairi was asleep and resting her head on my arm. I laid back down, not wanting to disturb this Princess' beauty sleep. (Not that she really needs any... just saying...)

She shifted slightly and mumbled something in her sleep.

I grinned. Just the sight of her was enough to get the best of me. She was an angel.

Allowing myself to get comfortable again, I laid there listening to her breathing. Occationally I glanced at the clock, 2:30... then 3:58. Time seemed to be faster than usual...

Sometime around 4:57 I felt her stirring. I glanced down at her and said, "Morning, did you rest well?"

She groaned and said venemously, "I told you, I'M STAYING RIGHT HERE TILL SORA WAKES UP, GOT IT RIKU?"

"That hurt... I don't look anything like Riku!" I said in a wounded tone.

Her head jerked up, "YOU'RE AWAKE!" She threw her arms around my neck and squeezed. I felt the my blood pressure spiking inside my head, "Kairi... you... are c-crushing...me!" I choked out.

She pulled away from me blushing, "S-sorry... I thought you'd never wake up!"

I smiled and waived her apology away, "No prob... Go and get yourself something to eat, I'll be along in a few!" I said cherrfully. Kairi nodded and raced from the room smiling.

I stood, streching. I looked down and snatched up my clothing from a chair.

As I was dressing, King Mickey strolled in with a lizard in a long white coat, "BACK INTO BED THIS INSTANT!" Shouted the Lizard in a nasally voice.

I grinned and fell to the floor, extending my arms to stop my decent, and proceeded to perform some push-ups.

Mickey chuckled while the Lizard (who I assume was the doctor) began yelling and scolding me about overexertion.

"Just goes to show that you can't keep Sora down!" Mickey said laughing.

I stopped somewhere around seventy-three push-ups when Mickey said, "Sora, I would like to talk to you."

I gave him my full attention, "How long are you planning on staying?" He asked

I shrugged, "I assume Ven wanted to leave as soon as possible... but I think we can spare a few days if that is what you're asking."

"Minnie wanted to host a ball for Kairi, Riku and yourself, if you three will stay for a day or so." He said smiling slightly, "Plus, I wish to make an announcement that involves the three of you."

I raised my eyebrows and nodded, "Sure, we can stay."

He smiled, "Great! I'll go tell the Queen!" He turned on his heel and left the room.

I frowned at the door. _Great... what has he planned for us now?_

* * *

><p><strong>I tried to involve something concerning Organization XIII or Roxas, since this is Chapter 13... but alas, I was unable to fulfill that goal...<strong>

**Well I hope you enjoyed it anyway!**

**If anyone has any suggestions or requests let me know! (Thanks to DaniPotterLovesGod, for the wonderful suggestion concerning a new world... I'll use it as soon as it is applicable!)**

**Soulless1 signing off!**


	14. You need some new threads dude

**Chapter 14! Sora and friends are about to embark on their most dangerous assignment yet!**

**A Ball! *GASP!***

**Sora: "What's so bad about a Ball?"**

**Me: "Nothing... What do you want to wear for it, Armani or Men's Warehouse?"**

**Sora: "What's that supposed to mean?"**

**Me: "Suit or Tuxedo?"**

**Sora: "SUIT OR TUXEDO? THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I'M GONNA WEAR FORMAL!"**

**Me: "No choice, you've gotta look nice for Kairi! You'll be tripping over yourself once you see the dress she's wearing!"**

**Kairi: "Really? What's it gonna look like?"**

**Me: "Here's a photo! What do you think?"**

**Kairi: "WOW! It's gorgeous!"**

**Me: "Glad you like it!"**

**Here goes nothing! (Sora's dislike for formal wear stems from my _serious_ dislike for the Tuxedo I had to wear for prom... Like wearing a rusty suit of armor...)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>I strolled into my room. I needed a bath like there was no tomorrow, who knew that being out cold for three days could have me smelling like a pair of old gym shorts. (Sorry if you've got a weak stomach, I've dealt with <em>far<em> worse than the average bad smell... believe me.)

The bathroom was fairly large, (Considering I was in Disney Castle.) The pedistal sink was carven from a single piece of lime-green Connemara Marble (Irish Marble) with a faucet plated in 24 karat gold. _MAN_, Mickey sure knew luxury!

I grabbed a bar of soap from a cabinet, (Oak, by the way.) and discarded my clothing in a neat folded pile next to the lavatory. The shower was also made from green marble. I hopped in and set to cleaning.

"Sora? I need to talk to you!" Came Kairi's voice through the door. I turned and yelled, "Just a minute! I'm in the shower!"

"Okay, I'll wait in here!" Came the reply.

I finished and stood in front of the mirror running a towl through my hair. I contemplated trying what I had seen Donald and Goofy doing with their towls, by that I mean they had inserted one corner of their towels into their ears and _literally_ pulled it back and forth through their heads!

Well, needless to say I didn't try it. But anyway, I grabbed a fresh set of clothes and started into my bedroom again. I stopped short when I spotted Kairi in said room with her back to me. _I had forgotten to grab my towel... there I stood plain as day, and naked as the day I was born!_

I turned and scrambled back into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Pulling my clothes on, and cursing myself for a fool, I shuffled back into the room.

Kairi turned and smiled, a slight blush visible on her cheeks, "H-hi Sora! How was your bath?" She said shakily.

I scrunched my eyebrows in concern, "Are you okay? You seem a little strange."

She shook her head.

"Oh, well alright then... What were you wanting to talk about?" I said, prompting her out of her trance.

She gestured at the door, " Queen Minnie wants to talk to us, she sent me to find you."

I shrugged and held out my hand, "Alright, let's go."

She took my hand and followed me out the door.

**Kairi's POV**

As I followed Sora down the hall, my thoughts travelled back to the bedroom. _Sora had come out of the Bathroom ABSOLUTELY NAKED! I'm glad he didn't know I had seen him through a hanging mirror._

His grip tightened slightly and he said, "Are you sure you're alright? Have you gotten enough sleep?" His voice was filled with genuine concern.

I nodded, "Yeah... It was a little hot in your room... how can you stand it like that?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Not sure..." He said, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

We rounded a corner and walked into the Library. Queen Minnie was sitting at a desk writing furiously in a red leather-bound book. Her gaze left the book and settled on us.

"Sora! I've been meaning to talk to you!" She rushed over and looked us over.

"You two are nothing less than a perfect match! Imagine that! A Princess of Heart, and The Keyblade Master!" She gave us a knowing smile, "So... when is the wedding?"

Sora lurched and started coughing loudly, "W-what? Who said anything about a wedding?"

Despite my shock at the Queen's question, I was smiling and giggling at Sora's reaction. He turned to me and blushed, "We only started dating _two days ago_!" He said indignantly to the Queen.

"Seven... Seven days ago..." I corrected.

Sora nodded, "Right, anyway... we're too young for anything like that anyway!" He pointed at himself, "I'm seventeen!" Then his finger shifted to me, "She's sixteen!"

Minnie was laughing all the while, "I was only joking Sora!"

Sora deflated and chuckled nervously, "R-right... joking."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Queen Minnie, what was it you wished to speak to us about?"

Minnie nodded and said, "I need to go over some ettiquet skills with the two of you." She nodded at Sora, "You need to learn how to behave in a formal setting!"

Sora blanched and gulped, "F-formal?"

The Queen nodded gravely, "Yes formal." She turned her gaze on me, "As a Princess of Heart, you most likely already know how to behave in civilized society."

I nodded.

She stepped over to a shelf and pulled out an orange-covered book, and handed it to Sora.

"The Complete Idiot's Guide To Formal Occations." He read aloud. He glanced up at me, then to Minnie, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Minnie chuckled and said, "I'm not implying that you're an idiot, those books are accurate and easy to understand." She explained, "I need you to read that by tomorrow."

Sora nodded slowly and stowed the book in one of his pockets.

He and I turned and walked back into the hall.

**Sora's POV**

"Why am I always getting in these situations?" I groaned miserably to the high-vaulted ceiling above me.

Kairi grinned, "What's wrong? You don't wanna dance with me at the ball? Would you want me to be swept up by some roguish man in a dark suit?" She asked innocently

I growled and glanced at her sideways, "Don't even joke about something like that! I've never drawn human blood with the Keyblade before... but that situation would be just the thing to lift the inhibitions about doing so!"

Kairi smirked and said, "Do you know how to dnace?"

I shook my head and grumbled, "Not really... I know the box-step, the Tango, and the Waltz... nothing too spectacular."

Kairi kissed me on the cheek and giggled when I turned red, "Don't worry! You never were very good in public settings."

I groaned, "Wonderful confidence booster there Kairi."

She gave me a hug and trotted off to her room.

I continued walking around for an hour or more. When I started to get bored Ven and Roxas materialized on each side of me.

"What's the plan?" Asked Ven.

I shook my head, "What do you mean?"

"Clothing man, clothing!" Hissed Roxas.

I gazed down to my adventuring outfit, "What? This ain't good enough?"

Roxas shook his head in disbelief, "If I wasn't your Nobody, I't say that you're completely mental... You need to look smooth for a Ball man!" He made an elaborate movement with his feet as if he were riding a skateboard.

Ven grunted in agreement.

"What would you know about looking smooth?" I retorted hotly, "You wore a black long-sleeve hooded cloak for an entire year."

Roxas grinned and clapped me on the shouler, "Only cause I make that kind of thing look good!"

"You need to wear a white cloak for once." I chuckled under my breath, "One of those ones with the pretty buckles up and down the front."

Ven started laughing and said, "Roxas couldn't get a hold of a pair, not even if he called _The Delivery service_."

Roxas rolled his eyes and fixed his gaze on me, "Seriously bro... You need some realy cool threads for a Ball."

I rolled my eyes back, "Whatever, _Xigbar_!"

"Xigbar?" He asked, "Why'd you call me that?"

"You were talking like a surfer, that's the way that Xigbar always spoke." I said grinning.

"Shut up you two." Grumbled Ven, "As stupid as this sounds… Roxas is right Sora, we need to find you something proper to wear."

"And where are we going to find something like that?" I asked skeptically.

Roxas and Ventus smiled simultaneously

* * *

><p><strong>Uh oh! What are the twins planning now?<strong>

**Looks like Sora is in Deep now!**

**Next time you'll learn about Sora's shopping habits!**

**Until that next time! Soulless1 signing off!**


	15. The Adventurer's Outfitters

**Chapter 15!**

**Roxas and Ven take Sora shopping!**

**Sora: "SHOPPING? ARE YOU FREAKING INSANE?"**

**Me: "What's wrong with that? I thought you liked to buy stuff?"**

**Sora: "Only when I **_**need**_** something, and can afford it!"**

**Me: "Come on, last time I looked you had 9,999,999 munny in your wallet. Plus you are an unofficial celebrity…"**

**Sora: "How do you know how much munny I have?"**

**Me: "Figure it out for yourself!"**

**Enjoy folks! I figure we need some comic relief this chapter!**

Roxas dragged me down the hallway to the Gummy Hangar. As we rounded the corner to Riku's Ship he said, "Any suggestions as to where you would like to go?"

"Hot Topic?" I asked hopefully.

Roxas grinned and nodded, "No." He scanned the hangar, "You need something formal, Hot Topic is not going to have it."

Holding his palm outward and muttering under his breath, a large sphere of darkness materialized in front of us.

"But I thought we were going by Gummy Ship!" I groaned.

"Nope, it'll take too long." He said tugging me through.

Ven stepped into our path and folded his arms, "Are you trying to leave without me?"

Roxas grinned, "Now how could we leave without you? _Especially_ since you are perpetually _grafted to Sora's ass_?" His words dripped sarcasm by the time he finished speaking. Ven grinned and grabbed my outher arm.

"Alright let's go." He roared, and jumped into the Corridor of Darkness, dragging me and Roxas along.

The Corridor of Darkness is by far my least favorite way to travel. The first thing you notice is a strange tingling sensation in the hands and feet as all your body heat is drawn out of you, then you begin entertaining strange thoughts in the back of your mind. (Mine were nothing less than scary... I'd describe them to you, but you wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight...)

The air was thick and posessed a damp odor, not unlike the smell of an abandoned basement. I eyed Roxas and Ventus darkly, that was not a byproduct of the Darkness either... Roxas looked at me and grinned widely, "Enjoying the ride?" His voice sounded hollow and far-off.

I scowled, "NO, haven't I told you how much I _loathe_ these Corridors?"

He smiled and nodded, "Why yes you have! I just thought I'd lift your spirits a little!"

"You mean like I'll be sending your spirit to Heaven in a few minutes?" I asked as sanely as possible.

"There's the exit!" Came Ven's shout ahead of us.

My attention snapped to that general direction. A pinpoint of light was sparkling feeblely ahead of us. I summoned the Keyblade and aimed it at the light, "**OPEN**!"

The light swelled and took on the shape of a keyhole, the three of us floated toward it and through it like skydivers.

The first thing I noticed on impact, was that I had landed on a patch of nice, soft _pavement_. I stood and rubbed the back of my head, wincing in pain. I pulled a Hi-Potion from one of my hip pouches and popped the cork. To say that it tasted bad, would have been an understatement... It tasted like muddy water with a healthy dose of cough medicine tossed in for texture. My headache faded almost instantly.

I looked around trying to locate my unfortunate companions. Ven had been tossed out of the Corridor like a baseball out of an automatic pitcher, and landed on his back ten feet away in a patch of grass. Roxas funnily enough was not as fortunate, he had landed in a tree and was now suspended ten feet off the ground by his belt.

"GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!" He shouted. Ven stood and brushed his pants off chuckling.

I rolled my eyes while laughing, and held my hand toward him, "**AEROGA**!" Roxas levitated off the branch and down to the ground. He straightened his clothing and looked at me reproachfully, "You did that on purpose!"

"What?" I asked.

"You made me fly into that tree!" He growled menacingly.

"No I didn't, you did that on your own."

Ven snapped his fingers and said, "Quit bickering Mr. and Mrs. Sora! We need to locate a suitable ah...suit, for Sora." He turned and started down a sidewalk.

"Where are we?" I asked Roxas. Roxas looked around for a moment and said, "Where else? Destiny Islands!"

"Oh GREAT... just what I need, another day on the Island of Wanted Fugitives..." This was the last place in Kingdom Hearts I wanted to be...

We walked out onto a plaza in front of a large marble and concrete building, this particular building happened to be the largest mall in this world...  
>The Everything Under The Sun Emporium.<p>

Roxas grinned at me and slapped Ven on the back, "THIS is the greatest place on earth to shop! Food, Games, Movies, Music, Instruments, Shoes... But more importantly Clothing!"

I strolled up to a amber tinted door and shoved it open, "Let's see what we can come up with." I said gloomily.

Ven placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "Don't worry, we'll find something that's proper for you!"

A blast of air conditioning struck my face, my hair however was left completely untouched... (Not that a simple blast of compressed air could even remotely effect it.)

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and started walking, not in any particular direction mind you... I just felt like this was the way to go.

Several store signs passed on the edge of my vision, Saks Fifth Avenue, F.Y.E, Sears, BOYDS Bears, Hot Topic, Victoria's Secret... WAIT! Hot Topic! I performed a complete 360 and retraced my steps, only to be stopped by Roxas and Ventus, "Nope! We need to locate your outfit first!"

I growled a promise to have my revenge, before another store caught my eye. The Adventurer's Outfitters.

I broke their hold on me and made a beeline for the amazing sight. I crossed the threshold and the most wonderful sight ever met my eyes...

Every concievable type of equipment anyone could possibly want for an outdoor excurtion could be found there!

But what really caught my eye was a cardboard cut-out of somebody I would never have guessed would stand in a store... Me. There I stood in front of a life-size copy of me in my black, yellow, red, and grey outfit, with the Keyblade slung over my shoulder and a cheezy grin plastered on my face.

Someone in a grey uniform shuffled up behind next to me and said in a nasally voice, "Welcome to The Adventurer's Outfitters, would you like to see our stock of reproduction apparel worn by Sora Nomura?" I turned, and he gasped. He glanced between me and the cut-out several times, obviously trying to decide if I wasn't another cut-out myself.

"YOU ARE SORA NOMURA?" He shouted, dropping a rolled up measuring tape and a notepad.

I nodded. He squealed like a girl and grabbed my hand, shaking it like a baby would a rattle, "IT IS SUCH AN HONOR SIR, I NEVER EXPECTED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE TO MEET YOU HERE!"

"Okay easy fella!" I shouted while trying to reclaim control of my hand. He released me and said, "This is GREAT! I have something I think you'll be very interesed in if you'll please follow me!"

I followed him, though not entirely of my own will.

He dragged me to the back of the store and though a large grey door. Inside the storage room he led me to a large box that had been draped with a large tarp.

"I personally designed this! With a moderate amout of help from the local Moogle Synthesis Shop." He tugged the tarp free. On a dummy was an outfit similar in color to my Final Form clothing, the only difference was the various shades of dusky gold and bronze thrown in with the silver.

"Whaddaya think?" He asked excidedly. I cupped my chin with my hand and nodded, "I like it... but what is it supposed to be?"

He pulled out a notebook and read aloud, "The Omega Form. Specifications: Unidentified source. Innate Magical Signature: Experimental Heartless Absorbtion Spell."

When I asked, he said, "The Moogles designed a spell that absorbs Pureblood Heartless and distills the Darkness into a source of raw energy."

I raised an eyebrow and asked, "How much?"

He looked at the chart and said, "Well... the recommended price is 600,000 munny, but I can let you have it for 200,000!"

I nodded and pulled my wallet from my pocket, "Do you take credit?" I asked waiving a card emblazoned with a crown (a crown that looked eerily similar to my necklace).

He nodded and pulled a cell-phone like device from his belt.

I pulled the outfit on inside a change room. It was rather comfortable, being of almost _exact_ size and shape to the clothing I had recently removed from my person, but I must say... It looked _good_! The dim lighting inside the changing room reflected off the bronze and gold, (giving one the impression that I was wearing a mirror-ball for an outfit...)

I turned to the floor-length mirror and scrutinized myself. I could almost pass this off as formal wear for the ball, that is, if I could convince my twin personas.

I strolled out into the main lobby of the store and glanced around... No sign of Roxas or Ventus...

_THAT ASSHOLE!_

_Easy Roxas. He couldn't have gotten far._

_WHO CARES? HE JUST DITCHED US!_

I turned, half expecting to see Roxas storming up behind me.

Nothing...

_WHERE IS HE?_

_He appears to be standing over there, in front of that store... "The Adeveturer's Outfitters?"_

_Huh? What is he wearing?_

_It appears to be a new uniform... a little overly flashy if I don't say so myself._

Roxas folded his arms across his chest and said, "Where have you been? Last minute shopping perhapse?"

Ven stepped up beside me and tugged at a strap on my vest, "Nice threads, where'd you get em'?"

I told them about the clerk who had fabricated my ensemble. Roxas frowned, "600,000 munny? THAT WAS ALMOST HALF OF YOUR MONEY!"

I shrugged and grinned, "So, I think I've found my dress clothing." Roxas shook his head and growled.

"NO FREAKIN' WAY, WE CAME HERE TO FIND YOU A SUIT, NOT ANOTHER VERSION OF YOUR ORDINARY GEAR!"

Ven shoved him aside and said, "Quit your nagging, we got what we came for so let's head back, okay?"

I nodded and gestured at the door, "Shall we go?

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the long delay folks! My worthless computer was a freakin' wreak!<strong>

**My graduation it tomorrow also, so I figured I better post beforehand. Anyway, enjoy the latest installment in the Kingdom Hearts: Power Unknown series!**


	16. Dancing around the problem

**Chapter 16! And about dern time too!**

**Like I said in the last chapter, I'm very sorry for the delay my computer crashed (and I bought it brand-new too!) and I've been getting ready for graduation.**

**Sora: "You are going to college? THAT IS THE FUNNIEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD!"**

**Me: "Laugh it up cartoon boy, you do know that Square Enix designed you after Mickey right?"**

**Sora: "No they didn't... I don't have anything that looks like a cartoon..."**

**Me: "The big shoes, the large hands, the goofy smile, need I say more?"**

**Sora: "You sonofa... I'm gonna kill you!"**

**Me: "Ah, ah, ahhh. If you touch me with that keyblade, I'll take it away!"**

**Sora: "YOU'VE USED THAT THREAT AT LEAST FIVE TIMES! PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS OR SHUT-UP!"**

**You asked for it...**

**Enjoy!**

If talking amounted to an exercise, Roxas would match the Governator in strangth. The entire way home and into my room he WOULD NOT STOP TALKING! If he wasn't my Nobody I would have killed him.

"Do you know how to dance? Wait yes you do... How are you going to dance with Kairi?" Chattered Roxas rapidly. Question after infernal question.

I looked at Ven imploringly. Ven nodded and smacked Roxas (Open-palmed) in the back of his head.

"OW! What the hell was that for?" He shouted rubbing the back of his head.

"For being unable to stop your tongue from incessantly wagging." He responded mildly.

"I was only asking a question!" He yelled. "And if you had recieved an answer to your question, or in actuality, questions, you would know everything there is to know!" Said Ventus, as he turned and sat on my bed.

Roxas glared at me, "Can you at least tell me what dance you plan to perform with Kairi?"

I pursed my lips and nodded, "Sure... How does The Twist sound?" Roxas and Ven's mouths dropped open. I started laughing and shouted, "Just kidding guys!" I leaned back against one of the bed's four posts and thought for a moment.

After a few minutes I started listing the styles I knew, "How about Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Samba, Ländler, Gavotte, or Saltarello?"

I looked up to see Roxas shaking his head in what I assumed was disbelief, "How can you possibly know all of those dances?"

"I've spent a lot of time in Beast's Castle... Belle took some time and taught me how to dance..."

**_Flashback_**

**_Belle was standing next to her wardrobe (it could speak by the way.) "Have you taken Kairi to a Ball or a dance before?" She asked with curiosity evident in her voice._**

**_I hung my head and rested the Keyblade on the edge of my chair, "No..."_**

**_Belle straightened, "Why not? She is a Princess, she needs to be taken to these kinds of things Sora!"_**

**_I decided to hazard a glance at her. She was turned toward me with both hands on her hips, she wasn't glaring thankfully (trust me... Belle's glares could set a castle aflame.)_**

**_"I... can't d-dance." I said finally. My words seemed to echo in the chilly air._**

**_Her face softened, but I could still detect a slight misgiving in her voice, "You don't know how to dance?"_**

**_I nodded, fully expecting her to start yelling about how stupid and incompetent I was for liking one of the Legendary Princesses of Heart, and not knowing how to dance._**

**_That however was the exact opposite of what happened..._**

**_A light chuckle rang out. I looked up at Belle... And she was laughing._**

**_"You can't dance? That is the lamest excuse I've ever heard!" She was doubled over holding her sides._**

**_"But I can't! Really!" I stood and made for the door._**

**_"Wait! Where are you going?" She shouted._**

**_"Home." I roared back._**

**_I watched her run out of her room behind me, "But you need to learn! I can teach you!"_**

**_I turned, "You? Teach me how to dance?" She nodded, "Yes, there is a ballroom as you know, I've had a lot of practice!"_**

**_Frowning I asked, "Why would I need to dance anyway? The closest I'll ever get to dating Kairi, is being her 'best friend', eveyone knows that she likes Riku."_**

**_"Trust me Sora. If you learn how to dance, you'll make Kairi infinitely happier."_**

**_End of Flashback_**

Ven grinned, "Have you danced with Kairi before?" I nodded.

"And what did she think?" Asked Roxas.

"Why don't you two know? Aren't you part of me?" I growled. I hate it when people corner me and ask questions.

Ven held up his hands in mock defeat, "We can only talk through mental projection, which is to say, we can't read each other's memories."

"But I'll bet that Kairi was begging to spend the night!" Said Roxas, wiggling his eyebrows.

I shoved him off the bed, "Don't talk about Kairi like that!"

Roxas stood and spit a sock out of his mouth, "Thank God that one was mine." He said with a grimace.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17 will be up and running before tuesday. In the mean time, I have another story (Kingdom Hearts obviously) that you might enjoy! Be warned, it is another Sora and Kairi story. I went over it several times to make sure that it's structure is a little more eloquent.<strong>

**I also intend to do a Legend of Zelda story, if you have a mind to read it when I post it... (I don't have much faith that will happen, considering how long I took to post these lat two chapters...)**

**Untill Chapter 18!**


	17. Having a Ball! Almost

**The last chapter was a little on the short side I must admit... But that will be rectified in this chapter!**

**Sora: "You seem a little off these past few chapters... they're short, have little recognizable plot, the thought trains run in circles..."**

**Me: "When did you become an editor? I always thought you were a 'lazy bum' in language arts class."**

**Sora: "DON'T call me a lazy bum! Only Kairi has the right to call me that!"**

**Kairi: "What if I said he could call you that?"**

**Sora: "Ummm... I guess I'll allow it..."**

**Well here is chapter 17!**

* * *

><p>Kairi grinned as I walked into the room. Sometimes I swear that her smile must have a six-hundred dollar electric bill.<p>

"Well... I found what I'm going to wear to the Ball." I said glumly. She stood and grinned even wider, "Excellent! I've found mine too!"

A peculiar humming noise filled the room suddenly, it started just beyond hearing and slowly grew in intensity until it was almost deafening. I drew the Keyblade and summoned Roxas and Ventus.

"Whatever it is, it's not good." Said Ventus, stating the obvious. Kairi had also drawn her Keyblade and stood in a battle-ready stance.

"My, my, must we always behave so uncouth during our meetings?" Said a voice silkily from behind us.

I glanced over my shoulder. There stood Master Xehanort, with his usual mocking smirk drawn across his face.

I turned and pointed my Keyblade at his face, "Back for a repeat performance?" I asked poisonously. Xehanort smirked and chuckled low in his throat.

"I simply wish to congradulate you on your previous success, it's not everyday that I meet an adversary with abilities like yours!" He stepped toward us and held out a hand.

"Back! Or I will send you into the deepest pit of hell!" I roared, blue sparks raced over the surface of the Kingdom Key. There was no way in hell that I would be caught off guard this time.

"I meerly was offering my hand in friendship... I do not wish to be your enemy!" Shock permeated his face.

Ventus jumped in front of me and bared his weapon, "And I offer my Keyblade in _hostility_." He growled.

Roxas stepped forward, his Organization Cloak materialized on him like a phantom, "Trust me, you don't want to be screwing around with us right now... especially with _four_ perfectly capable keyblade wielders on call."

Xehanort laughed and pulled his Keyblade from thin air, "Shall we enter this conversation again? As I have mentioned before, your Keyblades are useless against me, _Nobody_. I believe dear Riku put it as, 'you can't fight fire with sparks' correct?"

I swung my Keyblade, fully expecting it to connect with the fiend's bald skull. To my endless surprise, it passed harmlessly through his body.

A spark of wild malicious glee ignited in his eyes, "Ah yes, I neglected to mention that what you see before you is only a data-based projection... I really must thank Master Ansem for that wonderful trick." He glanced meaningfully at Roxas.

"L-leave us alone!" Kairi shouted, casting a blizzaga at him. He waived his left hand, dismissing the spell in mid-air.

"Dear Kairi... I was beginning to think that we might never meet... you look just a beautiful as I remember." He gazed at her face for several moments, then turned his attention to me, "You have done well to earn the love of this one... her heart has protected you well these past few years..."

He glanced at Roxas, then at Ventus, "The time will come, when neither of you can aid him, and the power of Kingdom Hearts fails to ease his pain... When that blessed time comes, I will be there to claim your hearts." He stepped back and faded into the darkened room.

Kairi was staring at the spot where Xehanort dissappeared in utter bewilderment. She had remained staring for almost five minutes before she asked, "Who was he?"

Ven placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled softly, "Master Xehanort... I was his apprentice for a short time, or at least until he had decided to use me to forge his precious 'X-Blade'... God knows that I would do anything to have the satisfaction of removing his heart from his chest."

I snorted, "Need you use such descriptive language with her?" Ven looked at the floor, "Sorry, I was just thinking out loud again."

Shoving past Roxas and striding over to Kairi, I pulled her into a hug, "Don't worry, we'll find a way to get rid of him, then everything can return to normal."

Roxas grinned, "Speaking of normal... don't you two have a ball to prepare for?"

Roxas and Ven stood on either side of me as we waited for Kairi. I caught myself glancing anxiously at the top of the stairs.

"Calm down, acting like this will serve no purpose but to worsen the wait." Ven said clapping me on the shoulder. I grinned sheepishly at him, "Maybe so... but you have to admit, I have a right to be anxious... after all, this is the first 'dance' I've taken her to."

"What about Senior Prom?" I looked at the top of the stairs... to see the most beautiful sight I've ever seen! Kairi wore a dusky gold dress with a silver sash around her hips, and a large orange carnation pinned to her left shoulder. She grinned, "So... how do I look?"

No response...

"Heeelloooo?" She said, her smile widening.

Still no response...

"Oh well, I guess I have my answer." As she walked down the stairs, I honestly thought she was floating, she looked like an angel!

She walked over to us and held out her hand, "Shall we?"

* * *

><p><strong>SOOO SORRY for the delay! I've been extremely busy with college the past few weeks. I first have to attend a community college for my fall and half of a winter quarter, to get my preliminary courses out of the way...<strong>

**Well anyway, sorry for the delay. With a little bit of luck, I may be able to pose the next chapter in the next three days... if my schedule allows.**

**Untill next time my friends!**


	18. Dancing and Laughing

**Ladies & Gentlemen, Here at last is the next installment in the New Legend series! I really must apologize for the extended lapse in time since my last update...**

**My internet service was sadly, discontinued, THE VERY SAME DAY THAT I POSTED CHAPTER 17!**

**I am currently using my best friend's laptop to type this... Don't hold your breath for the next chapter... it may be a while.  
><strong>

**Sora: "Just shut-up and write!"**

* * *

><p>Kairi and I stepped up to two monstrously huge doors that divided the King's throne room from the rest of the castle.<p>

"Ah! Mistress Kairi and Master Sora, you are right on time!" Someone who looked suspiciously like Goofy, walked up and bowed.

"Please go right in, The King is expecting you." He turned and motioned to a pair of guards. They walked to the edges of the door and pressed a switch. The doors groaned as the mechanics woven into the castle roared to life.

Kairi grinned as we walked into the lavishly decorated throne room, "I know this sounds a little childish, but I am so excited!" She tugged on my arm a little as she made that declaration.

Being one of the only idiots I know, I smiled and said, "Uh-huh!"

Anyway, we made our way towards the throne, walking through throngs of guests that I couldn't even begin to describe. All I can really say is that there was a monstrous amount of munny spent to pay for all of this.

"At Last!" Said a voice on the other side of a pair of sharply dressed Castle Guards.

"King Mickey." I said, bowing as low as my clothing would allow. Kairi attempted to do the same, but settled for a simple curtsy instead.

"Now, now, enough with the formalities! Must I always tell you simply call me Mickey?"

"Yes your majesty, we are at a formal function after all." Replied Kairi.

"Perhaps, but we are all friends here right?"

I nodded.

"Then call me by my name!"

Kairi threw up her hands and groaned. I shook my head and led Kairi to the dance floor.

I held Kairi's left hand high in the air as we stepped onto the dance floor, my nerves nearly got the better of me as I placed my hands on her hips.

"You do know how to dance right?" She whispered in my ear after I had drawn her in close.

"Of course, you remember Senior Prom right?" I whispered back.

Before she could speak, The Band began playing. If I remember correctly the song they performed was Partitas by Johann Sebastian Bach.

I chose the best dance I could think of for this piece of music, which happened to be a waltz.

Firstly I wrapped my left arm around her waist, and grasped her left hand in my right, then instructed her to place her right hand on my left shoulder.

I took the first step and set us dancing in a smooth counter-clockwise circle.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Roxas, dancing with a lithe woman in a black silk ball-gown. To my utter surprise I recognized Xion! And by God she looked beautiful. (setting aside the fact that she looked almost exactly like Kairi)

I quietly directed Kairi's attention in their direction. She smiled and whispered, "They look so sweet together!"

I rolled my eyes and continued the dance.

At different times I would cause our movements to transition from a waltz to a toned down version of a tango, Kairi seemed to enjoy the changes and joined in with gusto. Until the band ended it's piece and announced that they were taking a short recess until the end of the banquet.

We left the dance floor with the other guests and made our way to the tables that had been set up in the adjoining dining room.

Just when we were preparing to sit down, The King motioned for us to sit next to him at the head of the table.

To Kairi and my delight, Roxas and Xion were seated across to us.

Roxas averted his eyes immediately. Kairi leaned across the table and grinned devilishly, "Xion, if you are anything like me, you'll be sure to give him several reasons to squirm during this date!"

Roxas eyes went wide in terror, as did mine...

Xion blushed and giggled into her hand.

"Friends, if I may have your attention please!" Said Mickey, holding his glass into the air.

He had it.

"Tonight, we are gathered here to honor three individuals, who have defended us many times against the threat of the Heartless..." Pause for effect.

"Sora and Riku, Masters of the Keyblade, and Kairi Princess of Heart of Radient Garden!" A Light round of applause.

"Their exploits have stopped the plans of Xehanort's Heartless, and Xehanort's Nobody to claim the power of Kingdom Hearts, long may they defend us from the Darkness!"

Again another round of applause.

"Gawrsh, what about us?"

I turned in my seat to look in the direction of the familiar voice, "Goofy! Donald!" I shouted and jumped up from my seat.

"Where have you guys been?" I asked

"The King sent us on a super-secret mission." Said Donald proudly, puffing out his chest.

"Donald, you're not supposed to talk about the mission, it's a secret!" Goofy said matter-of-factly

"Oh, right." whispered Donald.

"Come sit by us." Kairi said, and pointed to a pair of chairs.

Once everyone was seated and served their dinner, the conversations began anew.

"This chicken is delicious!" Donald said with his mouth full

"That's not chicken Donald." Said Riku.

"Then what is it?"

"Duck."

"WAAAK!"

The opposite wall was then repainted with half-eaten duck.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"This clam is really making me mad!" Growled Donald

"Would you like some help opening that?" I offered

"Nah, I can get it!"

Donald proceeded to pull out his hammer staff... and brought it down on his plate of food.

Several people tried to duck, but were unsuccessful.

After the servants had spirited our plates into the washroom, Kairi and I told everyone that we were going to retire. This was met with groans and protests aplenty.

But me made our way to our rooms, where we parted ways.

I trudged to my bed and landed bonelessly. And fell into a sleep as deep as death.

* * *

><p><strong>Well folks, here is chapter 18. I won't promise that the next chapter will be soon, I can only hope so, as I have been over at my friends house for nearly a month preparing for the both of us to move to Nelsonville Ohio, so he can join me at Hocking College for a degree in Public Safety, and I can begin work on my 3 Ph.D's in Geology, Archeology and Anthropology.<strong>

**I have to admit, when I write this story, I am more or less flying by the seat of my pants with every sentence.  
><strong>

**Until the next time my bad luck allows me to post the next unfunny chapter in this misadventure.**

**Stephen Levi 'Roxas' Groves  
><strong>


	19. A Dark Night

**Well here is chapter 19! I am sorry for the overabundance of romance, I am feeling a little lovesick lately... so please forgive me if I go a little overboard with it.**

**Bear with me folks, I have had very little access to a proper computer with working internet access lately. If time allows I will do all in my power to finish this story before I go to college this coming fall quarter, which should be september 19th. (Though I hope it won't take another month to complete this story)**

**Sora: "You need to quit making me sound like a whiny brat in our conversations dude!"**

**Me: "Really? I always thought you were the one making you sound like a whiny brat."**

**Sora: "Why you..."  
><strong>

* * *

><p>I woke to the sound of screaming.<p>

The voice sounded familiar...

Was it Kairi? Was it Riku?

No... It was me...

"Come on Sora! I thought you were stronger than that!"

Instinctively I shot back "Get REAL, look which one of us is winning!"

Whispers... dark laughter... Mocking me in many languages.

"Sie sind nutzlos!"

"Kang walang silbi!"

I lashed out at the darkness surrounding me.

I hit something solid... something warm... something evil

I howled, a long primal roar, one that unleashed all of my fear and hatred of the terrible voices that continued to mock me.

"You will never save your friends!"

"You will never save that which matters most!"

I opened my eyes...

My reflection stared back in a pool of crimson liquid...

My eyes shone acid yellow...

"We...have... been waiting...for you... Sora."

"Who are you?"

"We are those who lurk in the dark... can you not feel the glorious darkness flowing in your veins?"

The pool of luquid heaved and bubbled like boiling water, untill it began to bulge and rise, taking on a shape that seemed vaguely humanoid.

Two piercing yellow eyes gazed out of the dark form before me.

"We are... you."

* * *

><p><strong>Theres chapter 19!<strong>

**Believe me when I say that I'm just writing what comes to mind, good bad, ugly or stupid (No so much)**

**I intend to have chapter 20 written tomorrow, so... here's hoping!  
><strong>

**Until next time!  
><strong>


	20. Reports

**Here is Chapter 20 like I promised! For those of you wondering about Sora's dreams, I had hoped that they would add a chilling effect to the whole story**.

**Please tell me how I am doing so far, I feel as though the story is deviating from the original path that I had set for it...**

**Sora: "No one cares, just keep on writing."**

**Me: "These conversations are getting a little annoying."**

* * *

><p>As soon as I caught sight of the dark ceiling above me, I knew.<p>

My nightmares were far from over.

I rose and set about the task of preparing my self for another day in the life of a Keyblade Master.

First, I changed out of my Omega form outfit. (My Drive energy had long since dried up, so I don't know how I managed to keep wearing the outfit.)

After stowing the ensemble in my pack, I made my way into the bathroom and pulled out my electric shaver.

After several minutes of being the only guy on planet earth who could cut himself with an electric shaver, I made my way to the Library.

The hallway that takes you to the Library, held a little significance to me, as it was one of the first parts of the castle that I had ever seen.

I placed a hand on the cool brass handle and pushed the door lightly open. A slight rasping sound filled the air as the door swung inward, the smell of old parchment and well-preserved wood hit my nostrils, the barest gasp of stale air existed in there as well.

The room was exactly as I remembered it, white walls, checkered floor, one enormous bookcase occupying the wall opposite the door.

The only difference I could discern, was that a few books were missing from their usually immaculately ordered positions.

Hollow echoing sounded around the room as I looked the shelf up and down. There was one book that I was searching for in particular.

"The Secret Reports of Ansem The Wise." I read aloud from the spine of a large leather-bound volume.

The book wasn't exactly as heavy as I expected it to be as I deftly lifted it from the shelf. I carried it over to a small oak desk in the corner of the room and opened it to the first report:

_Much of my life has been dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. _  
><em>That knowledge has guarded this world well. Not a soul doubts that. <em>  
><em>I am blessed with people's smiles and respect. But though I am called a sage, there are things I do not understand. <em>  
><em>I believe darkness sleeps in every heart, no matter how pure. Given the chance, the smallest drop can spread and swallow the heart. I have witnessed it many times. <em>  
><em>Darkness...Darkness of the heart. How is it born? <em>  
><em>How does it come to affect us so? <em>  
><em>As ruler of this world, I must find the answers. I must find them before the world is lost to those taken by the darkness.<em>

_Report 2:_

_It is my duty to expose what this darkness really is. I shall conduct the following experiments:_  
><em>Extract the darkness from a person's heart.<em>  
><em>Cultivate darkness in a pure heart.<em>  
><em>Both suppress and amplify the darkness within. <em>

_The experiments caused the test subject's heart to collapse, including those of the most stalwart. How fragile our hearts are! My treatment produced no signs of recovery. I confined those who had completely lost their hearts beneath the castle. _  
><em>Some time later, I went below and was greeted by the strangest sight. Creatures that seemed born of darkness...What are they? Are they truly sentient beings? Could they be the shadows of those who lost their hearts in my experiments?<em>

_Report 3:_

_The shadows that crawl beneath the castle... Are they the people who lost their hearts, or incarnations of darkness? Or something entirely beyond my imagination? _  
><em>All my knowledge has provided no answer. One thing I am sure of is that they are entirely devoid of emotion. Perhaps further study will unlock the mysteries of the heart. <em>  
><em>Fortunately, there is no shortage of test samples. They are multiplying underground even as I write this report. They still need a name. Those who lack hearts... I will call them the Heartless.<em>

_Report 4:_

_The Heartless appear in groups, and are multiplying rapidly. I've provided them both living and nonliving samples. They've responded only to the living. They seem to multiply after absorbing something from the living creatures. Their prey vanishes without a trace.  
>I believe the Heartless are taking hearts. They are born from those who've lost their hearts, and thrive on hearts seized from others. The hearts taken by the Heartless become Heartless themselves.<br>Though I lack proof, I am confident in this hypothesis. I must also study their behavioral principles. Though they lack emotions, they do seem to have some intelligence. How to communicate with them?  
>It's just occurred to me: Could they be the darkness in people's hearts?<em>

_Report 5:_

_To study the Heartless behavior, I picked one out for observation. It wiggled its antennae and, as if sensing a target, headed deep into the castle. In the deepest part of the castle, its antennae began vibrating, as if searching for something. Suddenly, a strange door appeared. I'd never known of its existence. _  
><em>It had a large keyhole, but didn't seem to be locked. So I opened the door. What I saw on the other side mystified me. What was that powerful mass of energy? That night I observed a great meteor shower in the sky. Could it be related to the door that I have opened?<em>

_Report 6:_

_A massive core of energy lay beyond the door sought by the Heartless. It may be the ultimate goal of the Heartless. But what is that energy? I have devised a hypothesis, based upon my observations of the Heartless. _  
><em>The Heartless feed on other's hearts, and they yearn for that energy core. That thing beyond the door must be a heart, too-the heart of this world. There is no proof, but, having felt that immense energy, I am certain. That was the heart of the world. <em>  
><em>The Heartless are trying to take hearts not only from all living creatures, but from the planet itself. But what do they mean to do with the heart of the world?<em>

_Report 7:_

_I am studying material from the meteors that rained down that fateful night. What a find! The material is foreign to our world. It is elastic to the touch, and when two pieces are combined, they bond easily. None of the records even mention such a substance. _  
><em> Was it introduced to this world when I opened the door? I wonder how many other such materials drift through the atmosphere of this tiny world... I wish I could soar off and find out! Could there be uncharted worlds up there? My curiosity never ceases to grow. <em>  
><em> But I should stop speaking of such unrealistic dreams. For now, there is no way to venture outside this world. My people and I are all but prisoners of this tiny place<em>

_Report 8:_

_There is no doubt that the Heartless are deeply connected to the people's hearts. Further study may unravel both their motivations and the mysteries shrouding the heart. _  
><em> As a start, I have built a device that artificially creates Heartless. By recreating the conditions that spawn the Heartless naturally, I should be able to produce them artificially. This device is the culmination of all my research thus far. The machine's test run successfully created a Heartless. <em>  
><em> This may be a step toward creating a heart from nothing. The artificially and naturally created Heartless showed nearly identical traits. But the two types remain distinct for the purpose of the experiment. So, I will mark the ones that are created artificially.<em>

_Report 9:_

_Simply astonishing! Today I had a guest from another world. He is a king, and his vessel is built of the material that composed the meteors. He called the pieces "gummi blocks". It seemed that my opening the door has opened a path to interworld travel. _  
><em> We talked for countless hours, but one story in particular caught my interest: that of a key called the "Keyblade". The Keyblade is said to hold phenomenal power. <em>  
><em> One legend says its wielder saved the world, while another says that he wrought chaos and ruin upon it. I must know what this Keyblade is. A key opens doors. It must be connected to the door I have opened.<em>

_Report 10:_

_Just as people have hearts, so do worlds. The same can be said of stars in the night sky. And deep within each world lies a door to its heart. The Heartless desire those hearts. Born out of darkness in people's hearts, they seek to return to a greater heart. _  
><em> Yes that's it. The Heartless come from people's hearts, as does the darkness. Is the core of the world's heart the world of the Heartless? I will pursue the answer there and become all knowing. <em>  
><em> My path is set. I shall seek out the wielder of the Keyblade, and the princesses. My body is too frail for such a journey, but I must do this. I will cast it off and plunge into the depths of darkness.<em>

_Report 11:_

_Upon opening the door of a world's heart, the wall around that world is broken is seen as a shooting star. Through this, I have been able to understand the reason why the material known as Gummi Blocks has the ability to allow travel to other worlds. _  
><em> A world's wall collapses because of the appearance of the Heartless, but finding a world's door takes time. And robbing a world of its heart is a similar case. <em>  
><em> If the door has been closed by the Keyblade, one would probably be unable to reach that world's heart again. Before the Keyblade wielder appears in this world, I must take measures to do something. <em>  
><em> Supposing that there is a close relationship between the Princesses and the Keyblade, it seems likely that they will resonate with each other... <em>  
><em> I have chosen a special girl. I do not know if she possesses the power of the Princesses, but there is a chance, and this is an experiment. She may lead me to the place where the one holding the key is... <em>  
><em> I shall send her off to the ocean of other worlds.<em>

_Report 12:_

_I have transcended to an existence of only the heart. I should have come back as a Heartless, but there is no sign of such a transformation. _  
><em> My body has surely perished. However, I am different from the other Heartless, keeping the memories of before, and I have not taken on the form of a Heartless. <em>  
><em> It is evident that there are still many things to be studied. <em>  
><em> In order to cross over to the dark realm, which is not this world, you must go beyond the door of Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds. <em>  
><em> The core connected to the world's heart, the place that will take me to the world of darkness. (I will record the details in another report...) <em>  
><em> There are still so many unknown worlds. <em>  
><em> The Realm of the Present...The Realm of darkness. The Realm of light. <em>  
><em> And, The Realm of in-between. <em>  
><em> In which one will I find sanctuary?<em>

_Report 13:_

_When the heart casts away the body, where does the body go? _  
><em>Heart and soul are separate, and the soul remains in the body. But can we assume that the remaining body and soul perish? <em>  
><em>Certainly when the heart changes into a Heartless, the body disappears. <em>  
><em>Or does that apply solely to this realm? Could other beings similar to the Heartless exist in another realm? <em>  
><em>If we take that to be the case, then there must be another form of oneself elsewhere. <em>  
><em>An existence neither of darkness nor of light. An in-between existence. Cast off by the heart, a mere shell, one who begrudges both the darkness and the light. <em>  
><em>This mystery cannot be easily resolved. The relationship between the heart and the body is a complex one. <em>  
><em>But since we exist in this realm, our counterparts of another realm must not be existent. Therefore I shall call them... <em>  
><em>"The non-existent ones." <em>

As I read the last line, a cold chill crept across my body. These reports sound as though the author was slightly deranged.

Obviously since they were written by Ansem The Seeker of Darkness/Xehanort's Heartless.

If these were written by Xehanort, then where are the reports written by Ansem The Wise?

Its obvious that I may have to go to the source to find out what in blue blazes was going on.

And that source was Ansem The Wise...

_Kairi is not going to like this..._

* * *

><p><strong>Here at last is Chapter 20! Only sixteen chapters to go!<strong>

**Here's to another chapter in record time! If anyone has any questions, let me know and I will be sure to answer them as best I can (Unfortunately that does not include questions about the story's plot...)**

**Until Next time Kingdom Hearts Fans!  
><strong>


	21. A New Darkness

**Chapter 21! I've been working hard, and long into the night to get this far in such a short time. I hope you people are grateful!**

**All things considered, I intend to finish this story as soon as humanly possible!**

**Sora: "Keep goin' you're making excellent time!"**

* * *

><p>My thoughts raced as I ran down the hallway to my room, I needed to gather my equipment for this journey.<p>

As I was pressed for time, I did not slow my pace as i collided with the door to my room.

"Dude what's the rush?" Shouted Roxas from my bathroom.

"We need to go back to Radiant Garden, I have to talk to Ansem!" I shouted back.

I dove under the bed and grabbed my pack, and my clothes, and the copy of the Ansem Reports.

As I was scrambling around the room like a bat caught in a net, Ventus decided to make himself known.

"Why do you need to speak with Ansem the Wise?"

"The Ansem Reports." I stated simply.

"More information is required." He shot back.

"The reports he wrote himself! All I found were the reports that Xehanort authored."

Roxas came careening out of the bathroom and shouted, "What about Xehanort?"

I gave the both of them the quickest recap possible on my dream and the reports I discovered in the library. After I finished, Ventus and Roxas trotted off to locate Riku and Kairi. We Had To Leave NOW!

**Roxas POV**

Sora was acting even stranger than usual. The Ansem Reports? What has him so worried about them now? Didin't he collect those during his first adventure? Why would he assume that his dream had something to do with them? Why .was I asking myself all these stupid questions?

Anyway. I ran to Kairi's room down the hall and knocked on the door. "Kairi, are you in there?"

The reply sounded hollow, "Yes!"

"Are you decent?" I asked, totally unnecessary of course but you understand.

Her reply had the faintest trace of a giggle behind it, "Uh huh, come on in!"

I slipped in, literally, as she had somehow strategically placed a wet rag, on the floor directly where any pedestrian attempting entry to the fair maiden's room would discover it...

My rear-end connected with the floor with a resounding THUMP!

Kairi rushed over and began apologizing immediately, "Sorry Roxas! I had no clue I left the rag there!"

I held up my hand in surrender, "It's alright, Sora needs you in his room, Ventus has gone off to locate Riku."

She nodded and helped me to my feet.

**Sora's POV**

Stuffing a few more various articles of clothing into my pack, I turned to the door.

"Sora! We found em'!"

"Thanks Roxas, did they pack their stuff?"

"Kairi did, but I dont know about Riku..."

I turned to Kairi and Riku, "Did you guys get your stuff together?"

They nodded.

"Good... Riku, we need to be heading to Radiant Garden as soon as possible, I need to have a few words with Ansem."

Riku cocked an eyebrow and headed off in the direction of the Gummi Hangar.

I held out my hand for Kairi, as soon as she grasped it I started down the hall in the same direction as Riku.

Kairi and I stepped down the stairs into a large room that was not unlike the boiler room at school, the sounds of gears and pistons and steam whistles could be heard everywhere.

"All systems check and ready for takeoff!" Shouted Riku through and intercom.

I looked at his hulking ship and grinned. Kairi tugged my arm a little bit and said, "What's the matter? Why do we have to leave Disney Castle?"

I looked at her and smiled, "I just need to speak with Ansem the Wise again about his Secret Reports, plus I have a bone to pick with Cloud and the gang for laughing at me last week."

She smiled and trotted off for the entry ramp.

I turned to a computer terminal and typed, "Chip & Dale, could you two please inform the King that we are heading for Radiant Garden and that we will return as soon as possible?"

The computer dinged and a small message appeared, "Will do, Dale has just gone to deliver the message."

I grinned and boarded the ship behind Kairi.

**Meanwhile in the Keyblade Graveyard**

A hunched figure scuttled towards a figure swathed in a black cloak, standing on the very edge of a cliff overlooking the very center of the graveyard.

"Master... the Keybearer has departed the Castle... and is now traveling to Radiant Garden."

The figure half-turned and chuckled over his shoulder, "Excellent..."

The figure turned and resumed his observance of the wind-worn plain.

"It is only a matter of time until the final battle begins."

The air is suddenly filled with the sound of rock scraping against rock, the crossroad field below trembles.

The thousands of keyblades that pierce the blood red soil begin to stir once more.

A sharp cackle of maniacal laughter rings out, echoing in the canyons.

"RISE! RISE WARRIORS OF THE KEYBLADE! THE WAR HAS NOT YET ENDED, YOUR NEW TARGETS ARE FOUND!"

Thousands of suits of armor rise out of the dust, stained with blood and rust. Many helmets turn to address the voice's owner.

"TRACK DOWN AND ANNIHILATE SORA NOMURA!"

* * *

><p><strong>A New Darkness is revealed! Master Xehanort is not the threat that everyone thought he was.<strong>

**Until the next posting, I bid you farewell, and guard well your hearts!  
><strong>


	22. Questions, No Answers

**Ladies and Gentlemen, I have worked long and tirelessly into the night to bring you the next installment in my misadventure story.**

**It is currently 1:38 a.m. where I live in Ohio, and I am most certain that my parents will flip the breaker any second to coax me into bed...**

**Sora: "My parents let me stay up as late as I wanted!"**

**Me: "So they wouldn't have to hear you complain in that annoying voice of yours."**

**Sora: "Pay for that you will!"**

**Me: "Bring it on Yoda!"  
><strong>

* * *

><p>A chill wind blew across my face as I disembarked from the Gummi Ship.<p>

I looked up and down the blue crystal expanse of The Great Maw, searching for any sign of life.

None but my companions, Riku and Kairi existed.

_Hey!_

You don't exist Roxas!

_Right... Oh Woe is me!_

Anyway, I told Kairi and Riku that I was going straight to the castle to have a few words with Ansem. They nodded and said that they would wait in the Gummi Ship.

I had little trouble getting to the Bailey, except for the occasional Heartless.

I followed the winding pathway to the Castle courtyard... only to meet someone I didn't really want to even think of at the moment...

"Yuffie." I acknowledged.

She smiled and stepped toward me.

I held up one hand and said as smoothly as possible, "Whatever you have to say, say it then trouble me no more."

She hung her head and began, "Sora I... I'm sorry for what happened, I can honestly say that I would rather have you as a friend than not at all."

she looked up at me hopeful, "Can you forgive me?"

I kept my gaze as stony as possible, until I laughed, "Of course I forgive you! I don't want anymore of those antics like last time, understood?"

She nodded.

I smiled and asked, "Do you know where Ansem the Wise is?"

"In his study, he said that he wanted to ask you about something by the way!"

I thanked her and ran to his office.

The door was closed and the hall was dark, but I knocked, hoping that Yuffie wasn't wrong.

A deep voice rang from behind the door, "Who is it?"

"It's Sora!" I called back.

"Ah, yes, come in!"

I stepped inside, and there he stood behind his desk.

"Sora, just the individual I wanted to see!" He sat down and folded his hands on the desk.

"What can I do for you today?"

I quickly told him about the reports, and asked him about the ones he had authored.

"I know that The King posesses a copy of the Reports, I gave it to him myself... as for the reports that I had written... I believe I still have a repository disk around here somewhere that has the reports on copy..."

He wrenched open a few drawers around the room until he pulled out of one, a small square data disk.

"Here they are, let's go to my personal terminal, we can review them there."

I followed him through a small hallway, the very same one that led Donald, Goofy and I, into Space Paranoids where we met Tron.

He stepped up to the computer and slipped the disk into a drive.

"Please wait... Processing data disk." Said Tron's voice from the speakers.

After a few moments a panel appeared on the screen

"Here are the Reports I authored, my apprentice Xehanort wrote 2-13 of the reports that you read in the King's Library, you may read them at your leisure."

_Herein are the Secret Ansem Reports:_

_Secret Report 1_  
><em>My efforts these many years have come to fruition, with the world I govern having become a paradise worthy of being called "Radiant Garden." <em>  
><em>Nurtured by the pure water that is the source of life, fragrant flowers bloom in abundance, and the people face each day with hopeful smiles. <em>  
><em>But where there is light, darkness also lurks. As noted in my earlier reports, I must solve the mystery of this "darkness of the heart." This paradise depends on it. <em>  
><em>I shall perform an experiment to probe the depths of a person's heart. One of my own apprentices, Xehanort, has volunteered to be a subject. <em>  
><em>The young man has served me ever since I nursed him back from death's door some years ago. <em>  
><em>He had lost all his memories at the time, but later showed remarkable intellectual curiosity and readily absorbed my teachings, gaining deep wisdom. Any mental immaturity is surely due to his young age. <em>  
><em>If I explore Xehanort's heart with psychological tests, I may be able to recall the past locked away within. My apprentice Even has also shown great interest in Xehanort's memories.<em>  
><em>But is he really the right subject? Xehanort does indeed exhibit extraordinary talents... <em>  
><em>Too extraordinary... <em>  
><em>Perhaps they are even superhuman.<em>

_Secret Report 2_  
><em>I have made a grave mistake. My study of the "darkness of the heart" began with a simple psychological test and quickly snowballed. <em>  
><em>Spurred on by my youngest apprentice, Ienzo, I constructed a massive laboratory in the basement of my castle. <em>  
><em>Unbeknownst to me, my six apprentices then began collecting a large number of subjects on which to perform dangerous experiments into the "darkness of the heart." <em>  
><em>As soon as I found out, I called my apprentices together and ordered them not only to cease their studies, but to destroy the results of their research thus far. <em>  
><em>What on earth was happening within the hearts of my six beloved apprentices? While pursuing the mystery of the darkness of the heart, could they themselves have strayed into its depths? <em>  
><em>Yet I remain the most foolish of all, for having begun these experiments. <em>  
><em>We are not meant to interfere in the depths of another's heart, no matter what our reasons for doing so... <em>  
><em>And my error plunged me into despair. <em>  
><em>A visitor from another world soothed my dejected soul. <em>  
><em>A tiny king named Mickey came wielding a legendary key — the infamous "Keyblade," said to bring both chaos and prosperity to the world. <em>  
><em>He was very knowledgeable on many topics, and we deepened our friendship as we conversed companionably. <em>  
><em>Upon his advice, I decided to review the data obtained at my basement lab. <em>  
><em>That is when I discovered the "Ansem's Reports." <em>  
><em>Though they bore my name, the only one I had written was number 0. <em>  
><em>Apparently he had gone on to pen numbers 1 through 8 himself. <em>  
><em>Yes — the first subject in my foolish experiments.<em>

_Secret Report 3_  
><em>Chaos affects not only this world, but many other worlds besides. <em>  
><em>In the "Ansem's Reports" my apprentice Xehanort had written under my name, I found the records of his hideous experiments along with his hypothesis about the door that had appeared out of the darkness in my basement. <em>  
><em>All living things have hearts, and all hearts hold darkness deep within. <em>  
><em>Worlds are no exception. If a world is a being, the heart it holds must be colossal... <em>  
><em>...and the darkness at its core must be monstrous indeed. <em>  
><em>Did Xehanort pass through that door in an attempt to contact that dark realm? <em>  
><em>No, not only Xehanort. <em>  
><em>It appears my other five apprentices, believing it was for the sake of research, stared deep into the darkness and were pulled into it. <em>  
><em>Even, Ienzo, Braig, Dilan, and Aeleus... <em>  
><em>They have ceased to be human. <em>  
><em>I, too, have had everything taken away from me, banished to a hollow realm of nothingness. <em>  
><em>What is Xehanort hoping to gain with my pilfered existence? <em>  
><em>Will my people cease to smile? <em>  
><em>If the light of hope has been extinguished, I shall henceforth walk with darkness as a friend. <em>  
><em>Here, in the realm of nothingness to which I have been relegated. <em>  
><em>Darkness in the midst of nothing. <em>  
><em>"Darkness in Zero." <em>  
><em>Thus, I shall be known as DiZ. <em>  
><em>Discarding the stolen name "Ansem"... <em>  
><em>And going in search of revenge. <em>

_Secret Report 4_  
><em>The distant days spent in that beautiful paradise are an illusion to me now. <em>  
><em>How long have I been here, banished to the realm of nothingness? <em>  
><em>It is only by relying upon my anger and hatred that I have been able to retain my sense of self here where all existence is nullified. <em>  
><em>My heart is being overcome with hatred toward my apprentices, possessed by the darkness, and with the anger I feel for stupidly allowing myself to be betrayed. <em>  
><em>Is this darkness, eating away at my heart? <em>  
><em>I cannot continue to idle away my time here. <em>  
><em>What are Xehanort and the others attempting to do? <em>  
><em>I must unravel the mystery of these Ansem's Reports, intercept my apprentices, and defeat them. <em>  
><em>That is my mission...the only way to repay the world for my sins. <em>  
><em>Those beings who lack hearts—the Heartless—must be the key. <em>  
><em>The darkness of the heart, made flesh. Cursed shadows who not only lack hearts, but multiply by seizing hearts from any and all living things. <em>  
><em>Where have they come from, and where are they going? <em>  
><em>Three elements combine to create a life: a heart, a soul, and a body. <em>  
><em>But what of the soul and body left behind when the heart is lost? <em>  
><em>When the soul leaves the body, its vessel, life gives way to death, but what about when the heart leaves? <em>  
><em>A being does not perish when its heart leaves its body. The heart alone disappears into the darkness. <em>  
><em>There is little time. <em>  
><em>If I remain in this realm much longer, I will certainly learn these answers the hard way. <em>  
><em>My heart is already a captive of the darkness. <em>

_Secret Report 5_  
><em>In this realm, where all existence has been disintegrated, I have just barely managed to preserve my sense of self by continuing to think and to write. <em>  
><em>It is a place where even time has lost all meaning. Eternity is as but a moment here. <em>  
><em>I must make haste. Certainly their plans are already underway. <em>  
><em>The Heartless must be the key to unraveling this mystery. <em>  
><em>The six traitors were operating a laboratory that churned out those cursed shadows. <em>  
><em>Not only did they generate "pureblood" Heartless from living hearts, but they then used those Heartless to synthesize artificial versions of the creatures as well. <em>  
><em>These synthetic Heartless bore insignias and were called "Emblems." <em>  
><em>Pureblood or Emblem, these Heartless act only to fulfill their instinctive needs. They single-mindedly detect hearts and swarm around them. <em>  
><em>A human's commands would be ineffective: the Heartless would easily steal the human's heart and use it to increase their own ranks. <em>  
><em>But what if an even stronger Heartless was giving the orders? <em>  
><em>If he cast aside his own soul and body and became a Heartless, wouldn't he be able to control the otherwise intractable Heartless? <em>  
><em>Furthermore, wouldn't he be planning to make use of the creatures' instincts? If the heart-seeking Heartless have their sights set on a larger, more powerful heart, their ultimate goal is crystal-clear. <em>  
><em>The largest heart in existence—the heart of the world. <em>  
><em>This is all conjecture, but it would seem he is utilizing the Heartless in his search for a path leading to the heart of the world. <em>

_Secret Report 6_  
><em>My choice to befriend darkness here in the midst of nothingness was a sound one. <em>  
><em>The moment I stared straight ahead with a calm heart, neither rejecting darkness nor fearing it, I gained a newfound power. <em>  
><em>A superhuman power—the power of darkness. <em>  
><em>It is likely Xehanort and the others were enraptured by this power, eventually becoming its prisoners. <em>  
><em>I do not intend to allow my heart to be devoured by the darkness, as they did, of course. <em>  
><em>With this new power, I uncovered a "corridor of darkness" that connects the realm of nothingness to the outside world. While it is still difficult to come and go as I please, my banishment is now a thing of the past. <em>  
><em>To deceive Xehanort and my apprentices, I first used my power to change form before returning to the realm of light. <em>  
><em>As I had suspected, Xehanort had become a Heartless. <em>  
><em>Under my name, he commanded other Heartless in quests to snatch away the hearts of many different worlds. <em>  
><em>At the center of the heart Xehanort has stolen was "Kingdom Hearts," which attracts tremendous darkness itself and attempts to send any and all matter back into its depths. <em>  
><em>The other five have disappeared. Have they become Heartless, like Xehanort? <em>  
><em>Or did they vanish after Xehanort exploited them? <em>  
><em>I became familiar with an unusual "entity" while pursuing the truth. <em>  
><em>It is the soul and body that remain when a being loses its heart. <em>  
><em>When a Heartless is born, these entities disappear from the realm of light, to be reborn as entirely new beings in a completely different realm. <em>

_Secret Report 7_  
><em>While beings born of darkness and those lacking hearts may find them convenient, it is dangerous for others to make much use of the corridors of darkness. Darkness erodes the heart. <em>  
><em>In search of a place to proceed with my research and planning away from prying eyes, I found myself in "Twilight Town." It is a quiet village, forgotten in the chasm between light ad darkness. I situated myself in the basement of an abandoned mansion standing beyond the woods. <em>  
><em>My underground research resulted in one new discovery after another. <em>  
><em>When a Heartless is born, the body and soul left behind are reborn into this world as a different being. <em>  
><em>They possess different intentions than their Heartless brethren, and while it is unclear what these sentient "things" are after, it would appear they are responsible for much bedlam in the world. <em>  
><em>My erstwhile friend the King and his subjects, along with a hero wielding the Keyblade, are battling the Heartless even as a new threat approaches. <em>  
><em>This new threat...they have given themselves a fitting name, I suppose. <em>  
><em>These non-beings: "Nobodies." <em>  
><em>A great number of Nobodies have lost human form, as have the Heartless. Yet the Nobody born of someone with a strong heart retains its shape, with but the faintest visible changes. <em>  
><em>It appears my betrayers have retained their human forms as Nobodies, and are gathering more followers in hopes of furthering a new scheme. <em>  
><em>"Organization XIII," formed of 13 Nobodies with my betrayers at its core, has divided into two; they are said to be carrying out some sort of research. <em>  
><em>Seeking to uncover the plans of this Organization, I have decided to head for where six of its members have gathered. Towering over the outer limits of the realm between darkness and light: <em>  
><em>Castle Oblivion. <em>

_Secret Report 8_  
><em>It appears that I have been too distracted by the behavior of Xehanort and his cohorts, and the events occurring in their vicinity. <em>  
><em>My friends' struggle to protect the realm of light from the threat of Heartless is now over, with Xehanort's Heartless—going by the name Ansem, Seeker of Darkness—defeated at last. <em>  
><em>The other wielder of the Keyblade, this "hero," traveled from world to world sealing up keyholes and laying Heartless low. <em>  
><em>Meanwhile, the King, who had dived into the realm of darkness, worked with the Keyblade-wielding hero to close the door to Kingdom Hearts from the realms of both darkness and light, thus holding off the threat of tremendous darkness. <em>  
><em>But there are still a great number of Heartless afoot, and Organization XIII and the Nobodies continue to be active in the shadows. <em>  
><em>Indeed, the world is still a very dangerous place. <em>  
><em>We must find a way to do battle with these enemies. <em>  
><em>Thus I will both make amends and have my revenge. <em>  
><em>It is for this reason that I infiltrated Castle Oblivion. <em>  
><em>It consists of 13 floors above and 12 floors below ground, with the contents of its "White Rooms" transforming in response to its visitors' memories. Organization XIII was conducting experiments on memory here. <em>  
><em>The subject in these experiments, a girl named Naminé, appeared to possess extremely unusual abilities. <em>  
><em>Were they attempting to derive something from these powers? <em>  
><em>Refusing to be distracted by Organization XIII, I had returned to my own secret research when a new visitor appeared at the castle today. <em>  
><em>It was Sora, the Keyblade-wielding hero who had defeated Ansem, and his companions. <em>  
><em>Deep underground, the stench of darkness arose. <em>  
><em>All the players are coming together, it would seem. <em>

_Secret Report 9_  
><em>I should have expected nothing less from a Keyblade-wielding hero. <em>  
><em>Sora and friends defied the machinations of Organization XIII and rescued Naminé. <em>  
><em>Naminé was a witch who controlled the memories of others. <em>  
><em>Most likely these powers were achieved through a special process when she was born. <em>  
><em>Naminé is a Nobody, created when a young girl's heart left her body. <em>  
><em>Yet she has no corresponding Heartless. <em>  
><em>This is because the "young girl" in this case was a princess. <em>  
><em>Kairi, a resident of Radiant Garden over which I had ruled, was one of the Seven Princesses that uphold the realm of light. <em>  
><em>With no darkness in her heart, Kairi produced no Heartless, and instead of vanishing, her body remained in the realm of light. <em>  
><em>In other words, both the Nobody called Naminé and the Heartless—proof of a lost heart—are extremely unstable beings who lack the bodies needed to produce a Nobody. Therefore, they also lack Kairi's memories. One reason for this maybe that Kairi's heart did not return to the darkness when separated from her body, but rather migrated to another vessel...deep within Sora's heart. <em>  
><em>That is, Naminé is an alter ego of the Kairi who has directly interfered with Sora's heart. Could this be why Sora and those hearts are connected to him were able to have their memories controlled? <em>  
><em>She is a "non-being" in the truest sense of the word; having not even become a Nobody and with nowhere left to go, she is but the most fleeting of shadows. <em>

_Secret Report 10_  
><em>Sora went to sleep in order to recover the memories he had lost in Castle Oblivion. <em>  
><em>It would take quite some time to bring back all the memories he had created in his lifetime. <em>  
><em>But Organization XIII held sway over Castle Oblivion. Sora would need to be kept someplace more secure. <em>  
><em>I persuaded Naminé to move the slumbering Sora to Twilight Town for safekeeping. <em>  
><em>Naminé. <em>  
><em>As I have written before, she is a most unusual being. <em>  
><em>Born of the same process as a Nobody, but lacking virtually all the elements of a Nobody. <em>  
><em>Perhaps she continues drawing in hopes of capturing that which she lacks: the memories of others, especially Sora. <em>  
><em>I have arrived at a hypothesis. <em>  
><em>I believe that Naminé was born as a special type of Nobody when Sora attacked himself with the Keyblade, causing his and Kairi's hearts to leave their bodies simultaneously. <em>  
><em>Naminé emerged as Kairi's Nobody...but the body and soul necessary to exist as a Nobody belonged to Sora. <em>  
><em>When a person's heart is stolen, a Heartless is born with no sense of self, and the body and soul left behind give rise to a Nobody. <em>  
><em>But what if one willingly releases one's heart from one's body? <em>  
><em>Sora and Xehanort retained their selfhood even after becoming Heartless. <em>  
><em>Then there are Kairi and Naminé. <em>  
><em>Kairi was exceptional for having had no darkness within her heart. Also exceptional was that her heart, once freed, migrated to a new vessel—Sora. <em>  
><em>The combination of the two theoretically unlikely exceptions may be behind this anomaly. <em>  
><em>There are matters I must attend to while Sora is sleeping. <em>  
><em>A new ally has appeared on the scene: Riku. <em>

_Secret Report 11_  
><em>I was reunited with an old friend at Castle Oblivion, but was unable to disclose my identity. <em>  
><em>If he knew the situation, he would likely try to stop me from carrying out my revenge. <em>  
><em>As much as I would dearly love to converse with him as in the old days...that is now but a hopeless dream. <em>  
><em>My friend has been fighting in the realm of darkness. Most likely he found his way there through Traverse Town. <em>  
><em>Like Castle Oblivion, that village also rests in the cleft between light and dark. It consists of the remnants of worlds whose hearts have been stolen by the Heartless. <em>  
><em>It is where those who have barely escaped the destruction of their worlds eventually find themselves. <em>  
><em>This "realm between" is quite unstable, with corridors of darkness appearing from time to time. <em>  
><em>Whenever a world disappears, some of its inhabitants must arrive here through these corridors. Surely Sora traveled these same corridors of darkness when he first came to Traverse Town. <em>  
><em>It seems my friend, fighting in the realm of darkness, appeared in Castle Oblivion through a corridor of darkness constructed by Organization XIII. <em>  
><em>My new ally Riku also effected his return via one of these corridors. <em>  
><em>He swore to me he would give his all for his best friend Sora. <em>  
><em>In fact, Sora's memories have been slow to return. <em>  
><em>Thus I have asked Riku to bring me another Sora—his Nobody. <em>  
><em>Sora is indispensable if I am to achieve my goal. <em>  
><em>I require the Keyblade-wielding hero to fly through the realm of light and defeat Organization XIII. <em>

_Secret Report 12_  
><em>Apart from Naminé, Nobodies retain their memories of their time as humans, but Sora's Nobody, Roxas, has lost Sora's memories. <em>  
><em>This is likely because Sora's time as a Heartless was short, having recovered his heart and returned to his human form soon after leaving behind Roxas, his Nobody. <em>  
><em>It would seem Roxas is much like Naminé. Naminé is Kairi's Nobody, but came into being via Sora's body and soul. <em>  
><em>Likewise, Roxas is Sora's Nobody, but was left behind because Sora's Heartless regained human form using Kairi's heart instead of his own. <em>  
><em>It may be that Sora's memories are slow to return because the half of him that Roxas is still lacking. <em>  
><em>I must convert Roxas into data and return him to Sora. <em>  
><em>As a member of Organization XIII, it was exceedingly difficult to bring Roxas in. Having lost to Roxas once, Riku laid everything on the line and used the power of darkness in their second battle, only just managing to bring Roxas back with him. <em>  
><em>But Organization XIII grows ever nearer. Here, Twilight Town, is where Roxas was reborn as a Nobody. <em>  
><em>This is where Roxas first encountered Organization XIII and joined its ranks. They are bound to search this place thoroughly. <em>  
><em>First I shall convert all of Twilight Town into data and construct a "world duplicate" in Sora's memories. I shall place Roxas within that world to live out his days and regain those memories. <em>  
><em>There is little time.<em>  
><em>The Organization's schemes must be making steady progress as well. <em>

_Secret Report 13_  
><em>Tomorrow Sora awakens. <em>  
><em>My long and drawn-out revenge is nearing its end. <em>  
><em>Xehanort, who took everything away from me. Though as a Heartless he is no more, as the leader of Organization XIII his ambition once again is to capture Kingdom Hearts, the most colossal heart of all. <em>  
><em>His Heartless had attempted to draw out the great darkness of Kingdom Hearts, created from the hearts of all worlds. His Nobody, however, is now almost finished gathering human hearts to be assimilated into Kingdom Hearts as well. <em>  
><em>The fool! <em>  
><em>Only one mystery remains. <em>  
><em>How did Xehanort manage to open the door that appeared in the basement of my castle...? <em>  
><em>No...any theory posited now, when everything is nearing completion, would be meaningless. <em>  
><em>Roxas, Ansem, Naminé... <em>  
><em>They defy all logic, yet there they are: singular exceptions to the rule. <em>  
><em>The theories proposed by me and by Organization XIII have been blown to pieces by a handful of strong-hearted individuals. <em>  
><em>Sora, Kairi, Riku. <em>  
><em>Ah, yes—Riku. <em>  
><em>Though his heart has its weaknesses, making it prone to darkness, he found support in the hope he discovered beyond suffering. <em>  
><em>This hope allowed him to stand his ground and turn the darkness in his heart from an enemy into his greatest weapon. <em>  
><em>When all this is over, it is my fervent hope that he will be able to return with Sora to his island. <em>  
><em>If I can, I should like to return to Radiant Garden, to look once more upon the beautiful water, the lovely flowers, and the hopeful smiles of the people. <em>  
><em>Dear King, my friend! <em>  
><em>I believe that, at some point in time, you will come across these, my truthful accounts. <em>  
><em>How I wish I could have chatted with you again. <em>  
><em>I was a fool, obsessed with revenge.<em>

I turned my gaze to Ansem.

He stood observing me and smiled, "Do you see the truth now Sora?"

I stood and asked, "Do you have any other reports to add to these?"

He cocked an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Something is very wrong with me... I keep having dreams, dreams filled with darkness... lately I've been seeing myself as a heartless."

Ansem folded his arms on his chest and said, "Has anything happened lately that put you into close proximity to darkness?"

I thought for a second

...

...

...

"I transformed into Anti-Form the day before yesterday."

"if your contact was only momentary, your dreams should ease up in a few days."

"But that's just the thing! I've been having these dreams for a month, but they have only recently gotten worse!"

Ansem walked over to the terminal and removed his disk, then he walked back to his office motioning for me to follow.

"Xehanort told me of similar dreams in the weeks before he began the experimentations that threw all of us into this danger... I must admit that I thought it was nothing, I simply thought that it must have been his nerves."

Ansem pulled out a notebook, not unlike the kind I would've used in school.

"This notebook contains descriptions of the dreams, I asked Xehanort to record them in this book."

He flipped the book open to the last page.

"I began to reason that my treatments were causing a resurgence in his memories, I was wrong."

He began to read aloud:

"For weeks these dreams have plagued my mind, what are they? Recollections of a past long forgotten? I can only hope that these experiments will reveal the beasts that stalk my mind, my colleagues have volunteered to accompany me in recovering answers, their hearts will most definitely be more than sufficient to retrieve what I need."

Ansem closed the book and looked at me.

"Whatever you decide to do concerning your dreams, make sure that your decisions will have a positive outcome."

* * *

><p><strong>Here is chapter 22! Please let me know how I'm doing!<strong>

**Until the next post!**


	23. Visiting with a Wizard

**Chapter 23. I still intend to make this story 36 chapters or more.**

**Sora: "This is dragging on and on... can't you shorten it?"**

**Me: "Now that wouldn't be very fair to the readers now would it?"  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"Make sure your decision has a positive outcome." That was what he had said.<p>

Xehanort had similar dreams? He conducted those experiments because of those dreams.

"What the heck am I supposed to do?" I loudly asked no one in particular.

"What precisely is your problem?" Asked a voice from behind me.

I turned to face it, and was surprised to see Sephiroth.

"What are you doing here Sephiroth?" I snapped.

"I sensed something dark approaching, so I came to investigate... I was rather intrigued to find you here."

I summoned the Keyblade and held it towards his eyes, "Come for another butt-kicking?" I asked angrily.

Sephiroth chuckled and swatted my Keyblade aside, "Your power does not match mine, you only won during our last battle because I was evaluating your skills."

"Right, and I suppose that the battle we had before that was because you were evaluating me then too huh?"

Sephiroth smirked, "Correct."

I scoffed and turned to walk away.

"The Darkness almost has you."

I froze and turned back to him, "What?"

"The Darkness is close to claiming your heart again." He spread his black wing and wrapped it around his body.

"There will come a time when nothing can save you from it." With those final words, he vanished.

A chill crawled up my spine.

I turned and continued toward the Gummi Ship in the Great Maw.

I stared at the silvery surface of the ship's hull and wondered if anyone else could shed some light on my darkness-centered problem. (he he)

"Sora!" Came Kairi's voice from the docking ramp.

I looked up and grinned my best, "Let's shove off!"

She smiled back and yelled, "Where to?"

"Twilight town!"

* * *

><p>We crossed into Twilight Town's Airspace rather violently, the ever-setting sun set the sky ablaze in rose, gold, magenta and fading violet.<p>

Riku shouted over his shoulder, "Where do you want us to touch down?"

I smirked evilly and said, "Yen Sid's Tower."

Riku blanched, "W-what do you want to see him for?"

"He can show me how to control Anti-Form."

Riku nodded and flipped a couple of switches, outside of the viewing port Yen Sid's tower flashed into view.

The ship lurched as it connected with the ground.

I jumped up and stated that I would be a while, "You guys can return to the castle if you want, I'll just open a portal later on."

Riku nodded and said, "Don't keep us waiting too long a'ight?"

I grinned and left the ship.

Walking up all the stairs to the top took some time, but not enough to matter.

I reached the top just the same and entered Yen Sid's study.

"Sora... I had expected you would arrive sooner or later seeking some answers."

I shivered, I really hate it when people expect you without you even thinking about visiting.

"I need to know how to control Anti-Form."

Sid smiled and gestured at the wall behind me, "Your clothing grants you the ability to harness drive energy to utilize different aspects of the Keyblade's Powers."

I nodded.

"But there is a side effect, when you abuse these powers too often, your time as a heartless reasserts dominance over you and transforms you into a remanifestation of a Heartless."

He flicked his wrist at the wall and several holograms of my individual drive forms appeared.

"The only way you can control this corruption is to do as your friend Riku did, and accept that Darkness plays a part in who you are."

I shook my head, "No, I can't do that, my control over the Keyblade would be lost!"

"That is not so, Riku managed to regain full use of the Keyblade, even after he had been almost completely lost to the darkness in his heart, you would be no different."

I looked down at the Kingdom Key in my hand.

"is there some other way to purge the Darkness from my heart?"

Yen Sid grinned, "I had hoped you would ask that."

With that he stood and raised both arms into the air, the entire tower melted, we now stood in the courtyard of a large golden castle.

"You must undergo the Mark of Mastery Exam."

* * *

><p><strong>I apologize for the length of this chapter, I am having a little trouble getting access to this computer, my friend has begun chatting with a girl from louisianna.<strong>

**Until the next posting Readers!  
><strong>


	24. The Mark of Mastery Exam

**Here is Chapter 24. Getting close to the goal... I must apologize for the sudden lax in production, I shall return the performance back to full rotation as soon as I can get a few hours alone with this infernal contraption commonly known as a computer.**

**Sora: "..."**

* * *

><p>"The Mark of Mastery?" I asked, I didn't remember much about it as Aqua had only mentioned it.<p>

The Wizard smiled, "Yes, you and Riku have yet to perform this exam, once you successfully complete this course you will be fully recognized as a Keyblade Master."

I turned and scanned the courtyard, it was rather grandly built (I hate to admit it but it was grander than King Mickey's Castle.)

"Where is this exam going to take place?" I asked still glancing at the environment.

Sid snapped his fingers and a small stone arena flashed into existence in the center of the courtyard, "Here."

I deftly jumped onto it and asked, "Where do I begin?"

Yen Sid waived a hand, next to me in the arena a vortex of dark energy rose out of the floor and took on a form I knew all too well,

"Riku!" I shouted

Riku smirked and drew a weapon I had hoped never to see again, the Soul Eater.

"Sora, you must defeat your friend if you are to proceed!" Yen Sid called across the courtyard, "Use only the light in your heart to win."

Riku scoffed and struck at me twice, "The Darkness is what gives me my strength, use the Darkness and see what I mean!"

He struck again, I dodged to the left and cast Blizzaga as his feet. Riku jumped into the air and threw Soul Eater at me like a boomerang.

I deflected Soul Eater to the side and used Ragnarok, Riku countered by casting Dark Flare, which hit me square in the side canceling my limit break.

I looked at Riku and yelled, "How? Why are you using the Darkness again? I thought you were going to take 'The Twilit Road to Dawn'?"

Riku threw his head back and laughed, "The Twilit Road to Dawn? Is that some kind of joke? I left the Islands to see other worlds, nothing could make me happier than leaving that pile of sand called an island!"

He cocked his arm high obviously intending to deal a finishing blow, I threw the Keyblade and caught him in the chest sending him sprawling to the ground coughing.

"You are no friend of mine!" I charged him and drew my second Keyblade, "The Riku I know would never have done what he did if he had known what was going to happen to the islands and to Kairi!"

Riku lifted his head and snarled, "What do you care about Kairi? You forsook us for Donald and Goofy!"

With that statement my vision turned black.

When my vision returned, Riku was laying on the ground in a crumpled mass that was dissolving into a black mist.

"Well done Sora!"

I turned as Master Yen Sid strode up to me, "Why would you make me fight and destroy my best friend?" I demanded smoothly.

"That was not your friend, it was merely a shadow clone created from your memories."

"Then what was the point, what could have possibly been gained by fighting someone I've already fought?"

"Your heart held a residual grudge against him for leaving the Islands, you needed to confront that before you could begin the process of purging the darkness from your heart."

I straightened and dismissed the Keyblade, "So what now?" I asked cautiously.

"Now, we begin the final part of the exam."

Sid pulled a keyblade and jammed it through my chest, and instantly I was rendered unconscious.

I awoke in a white room, from what I could tell it looked exactly like the inside of Castle Oblivion.

"Where am I?" I asked the air around me.

"You are in the Chamber of Waking inside Castle Oblivion, your assumption was correct." said a hollow voice.

I looked around the room, hoping to find the source of the voice.

"The final portion of the exam will involve your grudge against Organization XIII."

"Huh?"

"Now... BEGIN!"

A strange rushing sound filled the room, and several figures in black cloaks appeared.

"My, my it would seem as though The Keyblade's Chosen One is confused..."

A collective chuckle ran through the circle, "Let us provide him with some answers."

One of them stepped out of the circle and made a fist, a large white, yellow and blue sword appeared in his hand.

"Let me guess, you're supposed to be Saix right?" I asked.

"Let's just keep this short and sweet, draw your sword."

No sooner than I had finished summoning the Keyblade, Saix attacked.

He jumped into the air and brought his claymore down exactly where I had been standing moments before, I turned and dove directly at him.

In one quick movement, I slashed through his body and watched out of the corner of my eye as he dissolved into black and white sparks.

I turned back to the circle, "Any other members your wish me to terminate Xemnas?"

The tallest of the cloaked figures stood and said slowly, "So smug... I had suspected that you would say that Roxas."

I bristled, "My. Name. Is. Sora!"

"True but we know you as Roxas." Said another member.

Said member jumped down from the ledge and pulled out a purple gun.

"And you are Xigbar." I said dismally.

"Xigbar? As if! I'm Braig."

He fired three shots at me, I dove to the right and threw the Keyblade at him.

He was the second to vanish.

I sighed and said, "Okay, anyone else?"

Xemnas chuckled and said, "How about all of us?"

That is when all Hell broke loose and charged straight for me. I now had to fight eleven Nobodies. Yippee.

Xemnas was the first to strike, he cast an orb of dark energy at me, Xaldin threw his lances at me, Marluxia swung his scythe and sent an arc of white energy in my direction and Axel teleported next to me, "Need a hand?" I gaped at him, "What he said!" I looked at my other side, and there stood Roxas. I did the only thing that came to mind... I nodded.

"Incoming!" Shouted Axel, "Got it!" Roxas shouted back

I glanced up and saw the barrage of weapons raining down on us, and inside of one second cast Reflect.

A dome of protective energy covered us.

"Looks like we've got some work to do guys, you take Xemans, and Roxas and I will take care of the rest!"

Roxas grinned, "Hope you still know what your doing Axel."

"Me too buddy, me too."

As soom as the reflect spell faded, I dove to the left and searched for Xemnas. Once I was confident I had identified him, I motioned for Roxas and Axel to follow me.  
>Xemnas was obviously aware that I had spotted him and was intending for him to be my next target, he ordered Marluxia and Luxord to protect him, fat lot of good that did him.<p>

Axel charged Marluxia and jabbed him in the gut with the edge of one of his chakrams, Roxas dove at Luxord and slashed one of his card shields in half. i kept my sights set on Xemnas.

Xemnas fired both of his etherial blades at me, I crossed both of my Keyblades and deflected them to the side, in one quick movement I dove around his shield and brought both Keyblades down on his back.

"Excellent work Sora!" Master Yen Sid's voice said from behind me, I turned and acknowledged him with a nod.

"Yeah nice work buddy." Axel grinned as he walked towards me. Roxas joined in chuckling.

"How come you guys didn't disappear with the rest of the organization members?"

Yen Sid placed his hand on my shoulder, "Roxas has always been here as a part of you, he was given a physical body in response to my spell that recreated the Organization."

"What about Axel?"

"He too was given a physical form due to my spell, his essence was there with Roxas."

Roxas gave me a bewildered look, "How long will he be here?"

"You needn't worry, it is permanent as far as I know."

A grin spread across Roxas face.

Sid turned to me, "Sora, you have passed The Mark of Mastery Exam." He held out a necklace with a heart-shaped symbol on it.

"This is the Mark of Mastery, whenever you use the Keyblade while wearing this symbol, your control and abilities will be increased one-hundered fold."

I gaped at him, "But what about the dreams?"

"The Mark of Mastery is composed of pure light, it will neutralize the dreams."

He held out his hand, I grasped it and thanked him.

He snapped his fingers and we were suddenly standing in his office again, "If you wish I can open a portal to Disney Castle."

I nodded and asked, "Can you show me how to control Anti-Form?"

He smiled, "With the Mark of Mastery, you should find that Anti-Form will be infinitely easier to handle." With that he created a door and told us to go through it.

I gripped the cold brass handle and stepped through.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry this one took a while to finish, I had to retype this chapter three times, this version seemed to be the more coherent version versus the others...<strong>

**Please forgive me for the loss of interest in this almost worthless story.**

**Until Next Post!**


	25. A New Assignment

I heaved a sigh as I stepped into my room, "Back in the Castle."

Axel walked up and slapped me on the back, "Glad to see you learned to use your weapon, I would've thought you'd have it memorized by now."

"You never know, that's just the problem there is always something more to learn..."

Roxas stepped into the room and muttered his agreement, "Yep, always something more to learn."

A knock sounded on the door.

"Come in, it's open!" I shouted.

Kairi stepped in, "Sora, how did it go?" She walked over to the bed and sat down.

"It went fine." I sat down next to her, "Yen Sid had me take the Mark of Mastery Exam."

Her eyes widened, "Did you pass?"

I hesitated for a second, i guess that upset her because she jumped up and said, "YOU FAILED?"

I shook my head smiling, "No I passed, look." I pulled out the necklace, "This is the Mark of Mastery, it increases my power with the keyblade."

A grin spread across her face, "So... you are a Master now?"

I nodded

"Riku will be thrilled!" She shouted.

"Tell Riku that Master Yen Sid has offered to have him take the exam as well." walking toward my bathroom I said, "I am going to take a shower, do you guys mind waiting somewhere else for me?"

Axel stood and nodded, "Come on Kairi, girls out too."

Kairi smiled at him, "I don't have to leave, Sora and I are dating." She stated this smugly.

Axel looked at me, I could only blush in response. Axel looked from me to her, "So... have you two... y'know?"

Even though I was behind Kairi, i could tell that she was blushing harder than she had ever done before, honestly I wasn't doing much better.

"W-what in the h-hell are you talking about?" I sputtered.

"Oh come on, you know exactly what I'm talking about, have you two done the nasty?"

Roxas chuckled, "Listen to you! 'done the nasty' that must be why the last girl you brought to the castle came with a bicycle pump and a patch kit!"

Axel doned a mortified look, "I told you that was a gag gift from Xigbar and Demyx!"

Roxas shot back, "It wasn't a gag when I heard it pop at 3 a.m. I thought Larxene had gotten mad and shot somebody!"

Kairi was rolling on the bed laughing, Axel shot her a death glare then returned his attention to Roxas, "Sure Roxas whatever you say, I just figured these two would have gone ahead and done it already!"

I spun and shouted, "I have more self-control than that Lea!"

kairi pouted at me for a second, "What do you mean self-control, am i not 'hot' enough for you?"

"N-no that's not what I meant, I just meant that it's not appropriate until we get married!"

"Married?" Her face took on a surprised expression, "You want to marry me?"

I flushed and snapped, "I thought that was my line."

Roxas shuffled his feet and coughed, "I think we should depart now."

Kairi stood and grinned at me, "See you later fiance."

Axel chuckled and followed the two of them out the door, before the door closed I heard Roxas say something that caused Axel's chuckling to escalate into full-blown chortling.

I turned and slammed the door to the bathroom, cursing my luck, and Axel.

I pulled off my shirt and started thinking, "Where do I go next?" I asked the showerhead.

Later on, I lay in my bed thinking some more, so much more in fact, that i developed a headache.

I thought about Xehanort, I thought about Xemans, I thought about Aqua (Not like THAT I swear on my life)

I knew that I was missing something...

I sat up in bed, "TERRA!"

I was running down the hall to the Throne Room (Jeez I've been here before...) I had to ask Ventus and Mickey about Terra.

I burst into the hall shouting, "Where is King Mickey?"

Mickey was sitting on his throne, "What's the rush Sora?"

"What do you know about someone named Terra?"

Mickey seemed to hesitate for a moment, I wasn't going to be fooled this time, I needed answers and I needed them now.

"Who. Is. Terra?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"Terra was an apprentice like Ventus... Master Xehanort transported his heart into Terra's body using his Keyblade." Mickey paused for a moment as if he were afraid then continued, "Terra's Body and Xehanort's Heart created the Xehanort that spawned Ansem The Seeker of Darkness, and Xemnas."

I started to ask a question, but Ventus cut me off, "Nothing is known about Terra's whereabouts, that information was lost after my accident."

"Accident?"

"When my heart was shattered then merged with yours."

I nodded then looked at Mickey, "We need to find Terra, he is in great danger."

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><p><strong>Chapter 25! Just 20 more chapters!<strong>

**For those of you who actually read the postscrips, go to and look up the song "Dearly Beloved (Trance Remix)" It is just plain awesome! Whoever wrote it is a musical genius!**

**Until Next Time!  
><strong>


	26. The Keyblade Graveyard

**Chapter 26! Please tell me how I am doing so far, I have checked my reviews over and over for the past FOUR DAYS and no one has reviewed. If this keeps up I am going to have to hold out until someone encourages me to continue... God knows I need the encouragement, I've had writer's block so bad that I can't even think straight enough to think of a plot...**

**Sora: "So you've just been writing in circles to past few days?"**

**Me: "Yes sadly I have..."**

* * *

><p>The sky was dark and cloudy, simply by observing the rock formations one could tell that this place had most certainly seen a cataclysmic event in it's long history.<p>

"How long till we touch down?" I shouted from the controls.

"Ten minutes thirty-five seconds." Riku responded dragging a diagnostics panel across the touch-screen.

I reached down and pulled a red jump switch and grabbed the controls, "Keep me at a steady downward grade, angle 1.03%, power 230amp."

"Got it, rendering diagnostics." Riku typed a few commands into the computer and leaned back n his seat.

"So what do you think we'll find here?" He asked craning his neck in my direction.

"I fought some kind of animated suit of armor here that kept mentioning Xehanort and you."

"Me?"

"Yes you Riku."

Riku swiveled his chair to face me, "What did it say?"

I shook my head, "It asked me if I was 'the one I had chosen' and asked me if I was Xehanort."

Riku started to say something but was interrupted by the ship touching down with a lurch.

I slapped my legs and said, "Well, it's time to go."

We walked down the ramp and stepped out onto the dusty ground, this world wasn't much to look at, we walked around a few broken stone spires and entered this world's namesake, The Keyblade Graveyard.

Kairi and Riku followed behind me, but their attention was on the thousands of Keyblades that rose out of the ground like forgotten headstones.

"Don't touch any of them... they've been stripped of their masters and now lie here as a monument to the one thing that should never happen between Keyblade wielders."

Riku pulled his hand back from the handle of a black keyblade with white wing-like structures on it, "So... are these Keyblades useless or something?"

I sighed and turned to him, "No... when a Keyblade Master dies without performing the inheritance ceremony their Keyblade becomes inert and becomes a part of these lost keyblades that reside here."

I turned and continued down the path. We eventually came to a gap in the canyon walls that led to a large stone glade.

I glanced around until my eyes fell upon a lone figure standing alone on the glade's northern edge.

I stepped toward it and called out, "Terra... can you hear me?"

The figure's head lifted to gaze at me, "You know me?"

I nodded, "I have a friend here who wants to talk to you." I closed my eyes and concentrated, Ventus stepped away from me and said, "Terra? It's me Ven."

The Lingering Will stood and said, "Ven?"

"We have come to help you get your body back."

Terra took a step forward and held out his hand, "Ven... I'm sorry... for everything... that has happened to you."

Ven grasped Terra's hand and squeezed, "There is nothing to apologize for old friend."

I stepped to his side and said, "You need to come with us to Castle Oblivion, Aqua is waiting she will be able to tell us what to do next."

* * *

><p><strong>Readers, I regret to inform you that the internet connection that I am currently using is to be shut off tomorrow. My friend's mother is having it shut down because my friend is the one who had it turned on and is moving away. I will try my best to reach another connection where I can continue to post more of Sora's adventure...<strong>

**Until next time.  
><strong>


	27. Interception

**Chapter 27! I must apologize for the scare at the end of the last chapter, I have just been informed that the internet will remain active for another week. With a lot of luck and a lot of ideas, I should be able to finish this story. (Don't worry about what will happen after this story is finished, I have plans for quite a few more stories.)**

**Sora: "Well get to work you lazy bum!"**

**Me: "What did you just call yourself?"  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"How are we supposed to find Terra's body?" I asked Ventus.<p>

Ven frowned and gazed at Terra's armored back, "I don't know, I was kinda hoping that you would be able to tell me that."

"We might get an idea where to look from Aqua or Master Yen Sid." I heaved myself into a turret seat left of the control board, "But before we can ask anybody anything." I pulled a switch next to the turret controls to feed a belt of ammunition into the firing chamber, "We have to make our way through one of the longest stretches of unmapped space."

Ven glanced at the viewscreen, hundreds of enemy units could be seen congregating on the edges of the scanners.

"I suggest you find an unmanned turret, and hope to Kingdom Hearts that you are a better shot than I think you are."

Ven turned and scrambled into the turret on the other side of me and turned on his radar screen, "Time to get some work done."

"Warning, unidentified craft inbound." The computer's melodious voice informed me.

A small round ship with the Organization's symbol emblazoned on its side blew past my viewscreen, I tightened my grip on the targeting control and pulled the trigger. Instantly three-hundred rounds of hot metal sprayed the ship's side, the ship began smoking and dropped out of my line of sight.

I shouted over my shoulder, "How ya doin' over there Ven?"

"Fine! Three targets already!" He sounded rather jubuliant, but i turned my attention back to my turret, three ships came into view, one fired a missile directly at my turret.

"INCOMING! BRACE FOR IMPACT!" I shouted and dove out of my chair and ran for the controls.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Riku shouted as I yanked him out of his chair and seized the controls, "NO TIME TO EXPLAIN, GRAB ON TO SOMETHING!"

The entire ship lurched to the left, I wrenched the controls to the right, I knew that if I didn't get back to that turret and take care of those ships, we were sunk.

I signaled to Ven to keep firing, "We need that group of ships on the starboard side destroyed!"

Ven nodded and cranked his turret twenty degrees to the right and started firing. After spending almost eight-hundred rounds he shouted, "GOT EM'!"

I grinned and resumed my place at the starboard turret and proceeded to blast six more ships into oblivion.

I paused six times to pull the feed switch and reload. Anyway thirty minutes and 750,000 rounds later, we had cleared the spaceway of all enemy ships.

"That was unexpected." Sighed Ven after pulling himself out and down from the turret-gunner's chair.

"Nah, this always happens when I use this particular highway through space." I said with a grin.

"What? You knew this was going to happen and you didn't say anything to me?"

"I didn't see any reason to."

"I could have been prepared for all of that!"

"No you wouldn't have, you need to be able to get ready on a second's notice."

Ven turned and walked off.

I started after him when the sensors went off, BEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEP! "WARNING LARGE MASS OBJECT COLLISION IMMINENT!"

I turned and stared out of the front viewport, a rock the size of the Twilight Town Station Tower was barreling toward us.

I bolted to the controls and pressed the reverse thruster release. The Ship started moving slowly backwards, I knew right away that we weren't going to escape this one...

KKRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSH!

The whole ship rolled end over end, sending all kinds of tools, papers and spent ammunition flying all over.

I was sent flying straight back into the turret I had used during the attack.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Sora?"

I stirred for a second. All I could feel was a sharp pain in my back.

"Sora? Are you okay?"

I opened my eyes for a second and glimpsed Kairi and Riku staring down at me.

"I'm fine." I mumbled. I sat up rubbing my head, "How is everybody else?"

Riku smiled, "Fine enough, but the ship took one nasty impact, good thing you deployed the reverse thrusters when you did, or else we might not even have a wreckage you could call a ship."

I looked around, the ship's cockpit was thrashed. Every last object that hadn't been bolted or nailed down was moved from it's original position.

"How is The Lingering Sentiment?" I asked.

Riku cocked and eyebrow at me, "The Lingering what?"

I rolled my eyes, "Terra?"

"Dude you could've just called him Terra, we would have understood."

I shook my head, "Well how is he anyway?"

"If anything he seems just a calm, cool and collected as ever."

I pulled myself into a standing position and grunted.

"Are you okay?" Kairi asked, rushing forward to support me.

"I'm fine, I think I may have a broken rib."

"No problem, drink this!" Riku held out a Hi-Potion.

I scowled, "You know I hate the taste of those things!"

"Can't be helped, you need healing."

"I can use Curaga." I snapped.

"You don't have enough magic to pull it off."

Kairi pointed a finger at me and said, "Heal."

A green flower bloomed above my head and the pain melted away.

"Thanks." I stated.

She smiled warmly and led me down the lopsided hallway to the exit hatch, "The ship landed upright, but off kilter slightly."

I stared out the door at a HUGE patch of grass. (I mean the blades of grass were at least two feet high!)

"Where are we?" I asked Riku.

"I don't know, but this isn't Castle Oblivion."

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 27! I will say I had some help from DaniPotterLovesGod on this chapter! I got the idea for the Meteor from them! Give the genius some love!<br>**

**Until the next post!  
><strong>


	28. Out of the pan and into the Toy Box

I stepped into the waist high grass and glanced around, nothing much... but it looked amazingly like someone's front lawn.

"What's that over there?" Kairi asked pointing across the field.

I gasped, "I think that's... someone's house."

On the other side of the field was a two (hundred) story house, I couldn't believe just how huge it was.

"How soon do you think we can leave?" I asked Riku.

He sighed and shook his head, "Not until we find some Gummi Blocks to make repairs, the entire bow has been decimated."

We eventually made our way to the stairs that led up to the door, I stopped when I heard a voice.

"Move move move, we need to report back to Woody." Three green men rounded the corner, their leader brought them to a halt when he saw us.

"Who are you and who do you belong to?"

"I am Sora, this is Terra and Ventus, we belong to no one."

"So you're lost toys?"

I shook my head, "No we are not toys, I am from the world of Destiny Islands."

"You don't look like alien action-figures to me."

I was beginning to get a little annoyed, "No seriously, we are not toys I am a human from a different world from this one."

"Whatever, you should follow us, we can talk in our headquarters."

We followed them around the house to a rain-gutter where we climbed to the roof and swung in through a window onto a huge bed.

"Woody, we brought intel, and visitors."

A man dressed as a cowboy walked up onto the bed and eyed us suspiciously, "Who are these guys?"

I glanced at Terra, he was standing stock-still.

"I'm Sora, this is Ventus and Terra, we are from another world... our ship was damaged in a meteor shower, can you help us?"

"You three sound just like Buzz when I had to convince him that he was a toy."

"Woody, I think we should listen to what they have to say." Said a man dressed in a space-suit.

"Buzz, come on! Even you can tell how ridiculous they sound!"

"Perhaps, but every story has a true side."

Terra strode forward and summoned his Keyblade, "Could a toy do this?" He lifted his Keyblade and cast Magnega directly over his head.

Woody smirked, "You guys must be some pretty expensive toys to be able to do that, who made you?"

I summoned my Keyblade and teleported to his side, "Can toys use magic?"

Woody rolled his eyes, "No toys cannot use magic, it's obvious that you guys are using lights and sounds."

I dropped my shoulders, "Look out the window, our ship is right there, it was damaged in the crash and we need to find some Gummi Blocks to repair it."

Woody walked to the window, "That is your ship?"

I looked at what he was pointing at, a kid the size of a tree was skipping down the sidewalk with the Gummi Ship in hand.

"OH GOD! KAIRI, RIKU!" I made like I was going to jump out of the window, but Terra restrained me, "They are probably fine, we will track down the ship and retrieve them."

"MY BEST FRIEND AND GIRLFRIEND ARE IN THAT SHIP, AND SOME KID IS SKIPPING DOWN THE STREET WITH THEM!" I drew my second Keyblade and demanded to know where the kid lived.

Woody frowned, "It looked like Sid to me... I sincerely hope not or else your friends are dead."

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?"

"Sid is notorious for tearing up his toys."

I blanched white in seconds.

I turned to Ven and Terra, "I have to save them, with or without your help." I turned back to the mirror, "I love her... and she needs me."

Buzz smiled, "You guys can't be toys, no toy would say something that stupid, you can't save them from Sid... but I'll help as best I can."

Woody jerked, "WHAT? You're going to help them?"

Buzz nodded, "I am Buzz Lightyear of Star Command!"

Ventus spoke next, "Alright, so where does this Sid kid live?"

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the lack in length, I am going to have a little trouble with this chapter... I've never seen Toy Story 3...<strong>

**Until next time!  
><strong>


	29. Recon & Rescue

**Chapter 29! Getting close folks! Just 19 chapters to go, I hope I can keep up with these ideas...**

**Sora: "Closer and closer... let's get this over with already  
><strong>

* * *

><p>A few shadows passed the window. Here was the spot where Sid took the ship, and Kairi and Riku.<p>

"How are we supposed to get inside?" I whispered in Buzz' direction.

He held up his hand to silence me, "There is a vent in the house's foundation, we'll take that through the ventilation ducts to Sid's room, we'll locate your friends and your ship from there."

I nodded and pointed, "Is that it?" I was pointing to a black square beside the front porch.

"Yes, I brought Andy's swiss army knife."

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"To open the vent."

I nodded and prepared to run to the vent.

Once we had cleared the yard began working on the vent, Terra and Ventus began to talk.

"What has happened since my body was taken?"

"Many things have transpired since your departure my friend... most of it I did not witness, I learned of it through Sora's Journal."

I turned to them and said, "We can catch up later when Terra has his body back."

Buzz paused for a moment, "What do you mean 'has his body back'?"

"The Terra you see right now is a reanimated suit of armor... we were on our way to Castle Oblivion to figure out where to start looking for said body, when an asteroid sent us crashing into this world... we need to repair the ship in order to leave."

"What kinds of materials do you need to make repairs?" He asked as he pulled the fourth and final screw from the wall.

"Gummi Blocks, they are the same material that comprises the borders of each individual world."

"How are you supposed to find them?"

"Simple, whenever a foreign presence enters a world, the border breaks down and Gummi Blocks are formed, their locations are hard to pinpoint, but they react strongly to the presence of the Keyblade."

Buzz hauled himself into the vent and helped Terra in, I followed with Ventus close behind.

We rounded a corner and heard a boy's voice, "Captain, we have recovered the wreckage of the ship, so far we are unable to ascertain the origins of the craft, further study is required."

I looked at Buzz and lifted my eyebrows, "What is he, some kind of scientist?"

Buzz shook his head, "No... he is playing pretend, not very well I might add."

We moved a little further down the duct until we passed a grate that afforded us a view into Sid's room.

The room was worse than a storage room, an abandoned bowl of froot loops sat on the kid's filthy desk. On his bed sat the half-destroyed remains of the Gummi Ship.

"He's dissecting it!" I watched in horror as he brought a knife down on the hull. Riku's design was perfect, Sid couldn't get any purchase on the hull.

"Thank God Riku remembered to add the heavyarms armor plaiting, that kit cost almost 6,000,000 munny."

Buzz looked at me, "Munny?"

"The currency we use back in my world." Buzz made an 'O' with his mouth and returned his gaze to Sid.

Sid grunted as he tried to cut through the hull, "What kind of plastic is this made of?"

Buzz motioned to a dust filter, "We can slip into his room through there."

He crawled over and pried back a corner, once it was opened wide enough he jumped in.

We watched as he landed on a pile of blankets next to the bed, he jumped up and ran to the edge of the bed. he lifted a panel on his wrist and pressed a button, a woman's voice sounded in the room, "Sid, I want you to take out the trash!"

Sid sat up and groaned, "Okay Mom, I'll be right there!" He walked out of the room throwing the Gummi Ship down on the bed.

I grinned and dove through the hole after him.

"How did you do that?"

He held up his wrist, "I recorded his mother asking him to take out the trash."

I smiled, "Genius, pure genius."

He bowed and pointed to the ship, "Shouldn't you be checking if your friends are okay?"

I nodded and ran to the ship.

It was laying on it's side and the entry ramp was open, "KAIRI! RIKU! ARE YOU GUYS IN THERE?"

I heard the sound of empty pots and pans clattering and Riku's head popped out of the hatch, "WHERE IN THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN? SOME GIANT NABBED THE SHIP AND CARRIED US HERE! AND THAT'S NOT ALL, HE TRIED TO CUT THE SHIP IN HALF!"

I held up my hands in surrender, "Yeah, I know, I followed him here to rescue you."

"And how the hell are you going to do that?" He asked scowling.

"A native has volunteered to help, he led us to this kid's house."

"KID? THE GUY IS A FREAKING GIANT!"

"Whatever, look get Kairi out here, we need to go now, did Cid install the capsule device yet?"

Riku nodded, "Yeah, I'll activate it."

Kairi came running out a few moments later, "SORA!" She dove at me and strangled me in a hug.

"Easy Kairi, I came to get you."

Riku ran down the ramp and shouted, "Clear the blast zone!"

The ship flashed and disappeared in a cloud of smoke, when the could had cleared away a small silver orb lay where the ship had been.

I walked over and picked it up, "Handy!" I stated happily and popped it into my pocket.

Riku rolled his eyes and asked, "Where do we go now?"

I pointed at the window, "That's the only way out now, we came in through the ventilation system."

Riku looked up at the ceiling and grinned, "Too bad we don't have my mp3 player, I could play the theme from Mission Impossible!"

I rolled my eyes and jumped on the window sill and used Magnega to lift it open, Buzz complemented me on my use of magic and jumped out the window.

We followed Buzz back to the house and made our way to Andy's window.

"Woody, we got the ship and Sora's friends back."

Woody hauled himself onto the bed and welcomed us back to Andy's room, "So... where is this ship I've heard so much about?"

I pulled the orb out of my pocket and threw it onto the floor. There was a flash and an acrid odor filled the air, the Gummi Ship reappeared every bit as damaged as before.

"That is your ship?" Asked Woody, looking at the ship as if it were some sort of giant insect.

"Yep... as you can see the entire bow section has been critically damaged."

I turned to Riku and asked for the blueprints. I unrolled it and examined the nose of the ship, "It looks like we'll need four Gummi Blocks to fix it..."

Ventus glanced at the blueprint over my shoulder, "And just where do you think we'll find Gummi Blocks in this world?"

i closed my eyes and shook my head, "I don't know."

* * *

><p><strong>And there is Chapter 29, clean and clear! <strong>

**Will Sora, Kairi, Riku, Ventus and Terra find the Gummi Blocks required to repair the ship? Will Terra ever reclaim his body? Will I ever stop asking you readers to answer stuff you don't have any clue to?**

**Anyway, until the next posting! (which should be soon)  
><strong>


	30. Repairs Complete!

Buzz and Woody were rummaging around in a large toy box looking for anything that might be a Gummi Block, "What do they look like?" Asked Buzz from under a pile of stuffed animals.

"They are usually cube-like in shape and are normally red in color!" I shouted back.

Woody held up a red Lego block, "Is this it?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. He shrugged and dove back into the box.

Terra, ever stalwart, walked up and said, "We need to figure out where these Gummi Blocks would possibly surface in this world."

I nodded and turned to Riku, "Do you have anything that can track Gummi Blocks?"

He shook his head and smiled, "I used to have a gummi radiation detector, but it was lost in the crash..."

I grinned at him suddenly, "Good thing you haven't applied for a pilot's certification, with your track record your crash percentage would disqualify you right away!"

Riku chuckled and punched my shoulder, "Thanks a lot 'friend', but I think constructive criticism is not your strong suit."

Buzz jumped out of the toy box and held out a smooth red cube, "Is this a Gummi Block?"

I reached out and touched it, it changed shape to a sphere, "Yeah, that's a Gummi Block, you can always tell because it likes to change shape when a keyblade wielder comes in contact with it."

Riku took the gummi and threw it at the ship, the gummi immediately stuck to the side of the ship and matched the ship's color. Buzz and Woody watched in facination as the gummi slid along the ship's hull and locked itself in place in front of the cockpit.

"That was creepy..." Woody stated simply.

Riku turned back to Buzz, "Do you guys have at lease two more of those lying around?"

"We explored every corner of that toy box looking for that one..."

"Wait a second..." I turned and ran into the ship, my pack had something rather special in it.

I came back out a second later holding my black duffel bag, "I think I have some auxiliary gummis in here!" I tore the bag open and started digging through the mess of keychains, empty potion bottles, empty ether cartridges and candy wrappers, looking for anything that resembled a gummi.

"HERE!" I shouted holding up a smooth red pyramid, "This is one of the gummi blocks I used on the Highwind Lv. 1!"

Riku grabbed it and repeated the process of attaching the gummi to the ship, "Okay, now we only need one more to make her travel-worthy."

I dove into the bag again and surfaced with another cube.

Riku attached that one to the ship as well.

"That should do it, but we had better avoid confrontations with enemies or meteors until we can purchase more gummis to finish the repairs."

"Let's go!" I shouted running for the entry-ramp.

"Sora, are you even going to say goodbye or thanks to these people?" Asked Kairi.

I turned and smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, I just was eager to leave ya know?"

I walked over to Buzz and held out my hand, "Thanks for helping me save my friends."

Buzz clasped my hand and grinned, "The honor was mine!"

I turned to Woody and said, "Thanks for letting us bring the Gummi Ship in here."

He nodded, "Where are you off to?"

"Castle Oblivion to retrieve Terra's Body."

"..."

"What you see is Terra's Soul animating his Keyblade Armor."

"Ah... well good luck on your adventure."

I nodded and motioned for Kairi, Riku, Terra and Ventus to follow me inside.

I walked into the control room and commented, "I see you guys had time to clean this place up."

Riku nodded and sat in the co-pilot's chair and flicked a few screens on, "Everything looks normal, hull pressure is stable, hull integrity is at 90%, fuel is at 80%, ammunition is at... 20%, good lord! You guys used up almost 950,000 rounds of ammunition!"

I smirked, "It was necessary, let's get gone already!"

Riku punched a couple of buttons and stared at the viewscreen, "Engines running ignition process."

I grabbed the controls and yanked, the ship shook slightly as it lifted off the bed, "This doesn't feel right, the ship is lopsided."

"That's because we are missing 1/800 gummi blocks."

"Right."

I glanced out of the window at Buzz and Woody waiving as we turned toward the window and blasted out into the sky.

"Terra, we're on our way!"

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the short length, I figured I should post what I could today, I've gotta go and buy some paint for the house and today is the last good day to paint before it rains. Also, let it be known that I will be doing a revamp of the Mark of Mastery Exam within the next couple of days.<br>**

**Until Next Time!  
><strong>


	31. Redirecting Course again?

At last, we were moving through space towards Castle Oblivion.

We were on our way to find Terra's body... wherever that is.

"Terra... what can you tell me about Xehanort?" I asked the suit of red, gold and brown armor sitting in a co-pilot's chair.

Terra lifted his head slightly and gazed at me for a moment, "He is a manipulator, he influenced me to accept the darkness that resided in my heart... never listen to any advice he gives you..." Terra stood and hefted his Keyblade to his shoulder.

"The best thing you can do when you see him, is to do all in your power to destroy him immediatly." He turned and stared out the viewport into the void of space surrounding the ship.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and asked, "Do you know what his plan with your body was?"

He nodded, "He required a younder body to continue his research with darkness, since I already was tainted with darkness, I was the obvious choice as the replacement."

Ventus continued the story, "He used Vanitas to create the X-Blade and used Terra as a vessel so he could use the blade for himself."

Terra nodded and relaesed a growling noise, "We need to find him in order to locate my body, if what you have told me is true... his heartless and his nobody were destroyed, in that order, so he has regained his original form." Terra stopped.

"Kingdom Hearts only knows what happened to my body... if anything I am willing to bet that my body has been destroyed."

I turned to the navigational computer and typed a few commands in.

"What are you doing now?" Asked Riku from the co-pilot's chair.

"We need to find out something before we see Aqua and King Mickey."

The computer's voice sounded from the intercom, "New destination acknowledged, resetting course for... The World That Never Was."

Riku's eyes went wide, "Why would you want to go there?"

"To see Xehanort." I said sternly. Outside the viewport, the black void of space was suddenly swallowed by a large white castle piercing the barrier between the realm of darkness and the realm of light.

"Welcome to Xemnas' stronghold." I turned to Terra, "Yours and Xehanort's Nobody."

Terra turned his head to the castle that dominated the gummi ship's viewport, "He's here."

"I know." I responded, "And we need some answers, he is the only one who can provide those answers."

I pressed a button labeled 'World Barrier Access' and fixed my gaze on the castle.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the delay. I just finished finalizing my FAFSA for college... hope it works. The next chapter should be coming in the next day or so... can't really promise anything.<strong>

**Until Next Time!**


	32. To The Altar Of Naught

**Here is Chapter 32... The last chapter I submitted was touched up while I was in Southern State Community College's Library, apparently they don't have this site blocked like the public library. Which is by the way, a load of bull.**

**Sora: "Well at least you managed to update, last time you went away for almost two months."**

**Me: "No duh! I knew that, I was there."  
><strong>

* * *

><p>The five of us ran through The Alley to Between in the direction of Memory's Skyscraper.<p>

To put things simply, none of us had any idea what we were doing here... I had merely suggested that we find Master Xehanort and ask him a few questions.

"Up ahead is Fragment Crossing." I pointed at the corner of the ally, "Be on your guard, last time I was here Donald, Goofy and I were swarmed by Heartless."

Ven and Roxas nodded and summoned their Keyblades.

Riku ran closer to me and said, "Where do you expect we'll find Xehanort?"

I shook my head and returned my gaze to the path ahead.

We rounded the corner and entered Fragment Crossing. I glanced at every wall expecting to see Heartless... not one darned thing stirred in the empty streets.

"It would seem as though our enemies were not expecting us today." Terra stated needlessly, but funnily.

"Yeah... let's proceed, Memory's Skyscraper is just ahead." Roxas pointed north.

Well we made our way to Memory's Skyscraper, where Roxas turned to me and said, "This brings back a memory or two doesn't it?"

I grinned, "Yeah, but you could've been a little more direct when you challenged me to a duel."

Roxas lifted his Keyblades and said, "Would you like a rematch?"

I shook my head and smiled, "We don't have time for that, and you wouldn't want to get your butt kicked again."

"Oh really?" He dove at me swinging wildly. I dove to the left and swung the Kingdom Key at his head.

Riku vanished and reappeared between us holding our attacks back with a Reflegun spell, "Stow it! We need to get to the Castle and find Xehanort!"

Roxas stood and patted the dust off his jacket, "Alright, but don't think this ends here Sora!"

I rolled my eyes and turned, "Whatever, let's just go to The Brink of Despair, we can enter the Castle from there."

Just a continuous chain of 'went here, did this, went there' I know, but there were a few little 'events' between Kairi and I that I won't write in this book... just in case a kid happens upon this book after I'm dead.

Anyway, Riku led the way up the hill to the Brink of Despair. The Castle hovered above our heads in a mildly threatening manner humming with energy that held it in the sky.

Terra glanced up at it and growled, "This looks exactly like something that Xehanort would make."

Ventus walked over to a small mechanical device sitting on the ground. As he neared it, a hologram of a moogle rose into the air.

"Ah! A Moogle Shop!" I shouted running over, "Does anyone need anything?" I asked the group behind me.

Riku spoke first, "Yeah, could you get me a Hi-Ether?"

I nodded and held out a handful of munny to the hologram, "I need one Hi-Ether, one High Drive Recovery, and one... one... ah just give me a Aegis Chain."

The hologram nodded and the requested items appeared. I dropped the munny into a tray that had opened in the projector's base.

I turned and handed the ether to Riku, used the Drive Recovery on myself and strapped the Aegis Chain on my belt.

"Right... Let's be off!" I walked to the edge of the cliff and pointed the Keyblade at the Castle. After a moment the Keyblade flashed and fired a beam of light into the Castle, a blue energy ramp extended to the cliff in front of me.

"There is your entrance, c'mon." I motioned for them to follow me, and walked into the first room called 'Nothing's Call'.

* * *

><p><strong>Terra's POV<strong>

I followed Sora up the strange causeway into the belly of The Castle That Never Was, as I followed him memories of my life as a complete being flooded my mind.

_I could see Ventus and Aqua fighting, Ventus was wielding an odd Keyblade that displayed two Kingdom Keys crossed in the blade's center, Ventus' eyes were acid-yellow in color...  
>I saw Master Xehanort grab Ventus by the back of his helmet, then freeze him solid. Xehanort smiled at me as he casually dropped Ventus off the edge of a cliff.<em>

I snapped out of my remembrance as Ventus placed his hand on my shoulder, "It's gonna be okay Terra, don't beat yourself up about something that happened... It's just like I heard in a movie a while back, 'The past is history, the future a mystery, but now is a gift, that's why it's called 'The Present."

I wanted to grin, but I remembered that I was currently a suit of armor posessed by my own will...

"Thank you Ven... Let's hope that Aqua and Master Erauqs think the same."

Ven grinned and walked over to Sora's side.

**Sora's POV**

An odd chill filled the air as we made our way up the second ramp to the doorway that led to The Crooked Ascension.

"Do you guys notice anything weird?"

Terra nodded while the others shook their heads.

"There is an odd presence in the castle, I'll bet my Keyblade that it's Xehanort." Terra stated coldly.

Terra took the lead and strode to the entrance of The Crooked Ascension.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry this one was slow coming, I could hardly gain access to the laptop long enough to do anything important to this story..<strong>

**Until Next Time!  
><strong>


	33. Through the Castle

**Here be Chapter 33, almost there! Just seven to go!**

**Sora: "FINALLY! ...What did you mean in the last chapter by 'events between Kairi and I'?"**

**Me: "You don't remember?"**

**Sora: "Obviously..."**

**Me: "Alright... I guess I could tell you..."**

**Sora: "Whisper it... Uh huh... woah... OH MY GOD! YOU HAVE TO TELL THE READERS!"**

**Me: "No, I have to send that in individual messages so we don't offend anyone...  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Crooked Ascension<strong>

Ven and Kairi walked over to the edge of the Crooked Ascension platform and glanced over the edge, "How did they build this?" Asked Kairi while gripping my arm.

"This place wasn't 'built' by anyone... Someone used a Keyblade and molded this world into the form you see now." I said while looking at her.

She looked up at me and grinned, "Imagine, three years ago you could barely build a raft, now you can explain the origins of a world."

I grinned, "Nah, I've just been a Keyblade wielder too long... eventually you start to learn these things even if you don't want to."

Terra tapped my shoulder, "How do we engage the lift?"

I shrugged, "Start a conversation?"

I received several blank stares...

"My sense of humor is wasted on you people! There is a pressure switch in the center, step on it and we can get going."

Riku walked to the center and the lift shot upward.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Twilight's View<span>**

When the Lift stopped Terra asked, "Where are we now?"

"Twilight's View, after this is The hall of Empty Melodies." I responded automatically

Riku walked up the stairs and leaned over the railing, "We need to keep moving, with our kind of luck Xehanort already knows we're here."

Terra nodded and walked up the stairway.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted, "Could you guys take a few seconds to help me make a plan?"

Terra, Riku, Ventus and Roxas glanced at me.

"First of all, what are we going to do when we find Xehanort?"

"Destroy him." Said Terra.

"No, we need him to talk... if he doesn't provide the answers that we require, you can smack him around a bit but don't kill him."

"Oh I know, we'll hold him down and tickle him until he talks!" Interjected Roxas.

I looked at him, "You are my nobody, please tell me you aren't gay..."

"I was JOKING! Can't you people take a joke when you hear one?"

I patted his shoulder, "That proves it right there! You are indeed my nobody, no one laughs when I tell a joke either."

Roxas lowered his head grumbling.

"I think we should simply ask our questions, if he resists I'll take care of him."

Kairi glanced at me.

I looked back at her and smiled.

"Alright... you asked us to help you come up with a plan and you tell us that you are going to 'take care of him' as if you are the only one who can fight." Riku interjected with a disgusted look on his face.

I dropped my arms and said, "Very well, if you have a better idea please indulge yourself and share with the group Riku." I apologize for sounding like a support group leader, but sometimes he sounds absolutely dumb.

Riku gave me a death glare and said, "I think we should overpower him and interrogate him."

I nodded thoughtfully, "Sounds good... but you know... that was EXACTLY LIKE MY PLAN!" I shouted at him, "Could you please refrain from pulling ideas out of your butt and help?"

He turned and walked up the stairway.

I followed him snickering.

* * *

><p><strong><span>The Hall of Empty Melodies<span>**

We came out on the balcony that overlooked the room where I fought Xigbar.

Riku grinned, "This was where you and I met again Sora." He said with a mischievous glint in his eye.

I shrugged, "So?"

"I seem to remember you getting on your knees..."

A horrified expression crawled across my face, "NO I DID NOT!"

"...And begged me to come back to the islands with you and Kairi."

I froze as he finished, "Uh... yeah, you were just wandering around wearing Ansem's face, I couldn't just leave you like that."

He chuckled and continued around the balcony to the other door.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Naught's Skyway<span>**

Riku was the first to step out of the hallway onto the skyway.

"This place is a little creepy..."

I clapped him on the back, "Yep, but I suppose we should be glad that there are no Samurai Nobodies to contend with."

Roxas frowned, "What do you mean by that?"

"There used to be scores of those things to deal with here, but I guess with the organization's fall the nobodies abandoned this place."

He pointed at his chest, "The Samurai Nobodies served the Organization under me!" He lowered his arm and grinned, "They still serve me too!"  
>he snapped his fingers and a vortex of black and white energy opened next to him, out of it stepped a nobody.<p>

Allow me to describe it to you: A Samurai has a distinctive cylindrical head that is a darker shade of grey than the most of the rest of its body. This head bears six diagonal slits on the front, three on each side. The majority of its body appears to be covered in a grey jumpsuit with bell sleeves and a lighter grey seam going down the front. Each sleeve has the Nobody emblem printed on them, and only the Samurai's black hands are visible. The black, featureless, pointed feet of the creature sprouts out from each of the legs of the jumpsuit.  
>There is also a dark grey belt-like pattern that wraps around its waist, though it does not seem to have a purpose. The (also grey) swords used by the Samurai usually just float very close to it, either crossing behind its back or resting at either of its hips.<p>

I hope that gave you a vague enough description, if not go to (www. kingdomhearts. wikia. com) and type in the search bar 'samurai' and you will be provided with a picture, and the very same description that I authored (both here and on the site, Anyone can edit the articles as long as they stay as true as possible to the game)

Anyway, Roxas turned to the creature and said, "Go into the castle and locate Master Xehanort, report back to me if you locate him."

I swear I saw that thing nod, then it vanished the same way it appeared.

"Dude... I thought you were out of the Organization."

He shrugged, "I guess Xemnas forgot to reassign them to a new commander."

I rolled my eyes and continued up the ramps to a door that led back into the castle.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Proof of Existence<span>**

Roxas walked ahead and glanced around, "The Organization Member's personal portals to their rooms."

I cocked my head, "What?"

"Each of these... well they look like headstones but they identify the organization member who is represented by the weapon on the floor panel, they act as portals and transport you to that organization member's personal quarters."

I nodded, "Where is yours?"

He pointed to the right, to the only one that glowed blue... also the only one that was smashed beyond all recognition.

He raced to it and groaned, "Aw man... I was hoping to grab some stuff from my room."

I grinned and pointed my keyblade at the shattered portal, "**BIND**." The fragments of the portal rose and fixed themselves into their original positions.

Roxas jumped up and shouted, "Thanks! Now I can go get my gears!" He dove through the portal and disappeared.

I turned to Riku, "Gears?"

"An old weapon system used by the organization members to augment their weapons."

I mouthed 'oh' and turned back to the portal.

After a ten minute wait Roxas reappeared holding a black backpack, "Got em' now I'll show you some of my weapons!" He reached into the bag and pulled out a golden-colored gear with a red 'X' on it, and slammed it into the handle of Oblivion. The Keyblade flashed and was enveloped by a golden light.

He stood and held out his new weapon, "It's called Omega Weapon!"

I looked it up and down, it was rather formidable looking.

The Omega Weapon's handle was white and its circular guard had gold outer edges and black inner ones. The guard wass not a complete circle, as there was a thin gap on either side of it, splitting the guard into an upper half and a lower one. The top of the guard was decorated by three red diamonds, and there was a heart-shaped gap in it just above the handle. The shaft was black, had gold, concave edges, and lined by small, diamond-shaped gaps. The head of the blade was a thin, incomplete, gold ring with a spike on its tip. The teeth were comprised by a gold arc with three spikes of the same color lining its outer edge. Though the teeth were connected to the top of the shaft, they are also held onto the head of the blade by three large, black spikes that point inward. The Keychain token was a vaguely cross-shaped symbol with a heart-shaped gap in its center. The top half was gold and the lower half was grey.

I nodded, "Not bad, what's it's attack stat?"

"90 points, it has no defense unfortunately, but it raises your magic, critical percentage and critical bonus by 30, 10, and 11 respectively."

I rolled my eyes, "You sound like some kind of Dungeons and Dragons nerd."

He frowned, "What's Dungeons and Dragons?"

I waived him off and said to the group, "Let's go, we got Naught's Approach ahead."

* * *

><p><strong>There you go! I intend to post this chapter in two parts, I'm trying to draw this out as long as possible so the story doesn't seem too short (even if some of the chapters are...)<strong>

**Until later!  
><strong>


	34. Meeting With Xehanort

**Here is Chapter 34, just 6 to go! Enjoy this story while you can. But fear not, I intend to do another Kingdom Hearts story, I hope you don't mind that it will be a cross-over with The Legend of Zelda.**

**Sora: "The Legend of Zelda? What in God's Name is that?"**

**Me: "You don't know? Well I guess you'll find out after this story if finished."**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Naught's Approach<span>**

We stepped out onto a open-air walkway that followed the edge of the north face of the Castle.

As expected, not a single nobody in sight, or as I pointed out to the group, "Nobody in sight."

Exasperated sighs filled the still air...

I shrugged and pressed on... We were going to find Xehanort one way or another.

Ventus summoned Wayward Wind and spun to look in the opposite direction, "We've got company Sora, and I don't think it's the good kind."

I looked to the sky south of us, Ventus was right... a large black portal had opened in the sky, from said portal hundreds of warriors wearing Keyblade armor were issuing forth.

Not a danged one of them looked friendly in the slightest. I drew my second Keyblade and said to Riku and Terra, "I hope you two are ready... we have one HELL of a fight on our hands..."

The first of the warriors touched down and charged at us. Each of them wielded a Keyblade, and each of them looked as if they had license to kill.

Riku summoned Way To Dawn and assumed the position, as did Ventus, Terra, Roxas and I.

The leader of the group swerved and headed straight for me, the others behind him followed suite.

I was needlessly to say surprised, I transmuted my twin Kingdom Keys into twin Ultima Weapons. I surged forward and caught the leaders first swing on the edge of my left blade. I looked into the warrior's face, half of his helmet was broken off and the skin underneath was a dull grey, the eye was glazed.

I shoved him back and shouted to Riku, "THESE GUYS ARE DEAD!"

Riku stopped mid-swing and gaped at me, "DEAD?"

I nodded and ran to Kairi, "Stay behind me, I'll protect you." To emphasize my point I cut one of the 'zombies' in half.

Roxas made a fist, his hand began to glow red. Another zombie charged him, he opened his hand palm out in the direction of the attacker, in a wave of energy the creature was blasted backwards.

I gave Roxas the thumbs-up and lopped a zombie's head off.

Riku was busy fighting off five of them at once, but as always he used an attack that could only be classified as dramatic, and what I mean by that is he fired several orbs of blue flame from his keyblade and sent all five of his attackers sprawling.

Ventus was wielding his keyblade Wayward Wind in his usual reversed grip while under the influence of Speed Rave.

Terra was easily doing the most damage with his slow powerful swings that took out twenty warriors at once.

"Having trouble?" Said a smooth voice behind me.

I turned while blocking another attack aimed to throttle me. And I saw the exact person we had come here to find, Master Xehanort himself.

"You could say that." I responded, I used an uppercut to send another of the warriors flying.

"And since we are having such a good time, would you mind joining us?"

Xehanort laughed and drew his Keyblade, "Why not."

He swung his Keyblade in a circle taking out ten of the monsters at once, "My my, the Keyblades they are using look terribly familiar." Xehanort said in a genuinely bewildered manner.

His words caused me to notice their Keyblades as well. Then it hit me, The Keyblade Graveyard.  
>They were from the Keyblade Graveyard.<p>

I dashed over to Riku and Ventus who were fighting off a pair of particularly nasty looking zombies wielding Keyblades that were longer than Terra's.

I bashed the pair out of my way and shouted to the two liberated keybladers, "These guys are resurrected Keyblade Masters from the Keyblade Graveyard!"

Ventus gaped, "Resurrected?"

I nodded and pointed to Xehanort who had finished off twelve more of the creatures.

"He is helping us."

Riku frowned, "He is helping us?"

I nodded, sometimes he reminds me of a kindergartener. "He offered to help, so I don't think he sent these things after us."

Ventus growled, "You really believe that? After all he's done?"

I shook my head, "I don't really know anymore, but we have no choice but to trust him now."

Xehanort laughed and fired a giant orb of blue energy into the portal above us, "Let's see them deal with that!" As he finished speaking, the portal closed leaving behind a purple and blue nebula of dust swirling in the air.

I grinned at Kairi and Riku, "Seems like we could use his help more than we could've imagined."

Terra walked over to me and growled, "Don't ever let me hear you say that again."

Xehanort walked over to us and said, "Well, I seem to have guests in my castle, would you care to join me for a bite?"

I shook my head, "No... we came here to ask you some questions... ones that only you can answer it seems."

He grinned and made a 'come hither' gesture with his left hand. He turned and walked to the door that led to the next room.

* * *

><p><strong>Ruin And Creation's Passage<strong>

Xehanort walked to the edge of what appeared to be a bottomless chasm, with his next step a transparent hexagonal platform materialized under his feet.

"I listened to your conversations as you scaled my home... I must admit, I am rather surprised at your choice of approach to get these 'answers' out of me." He reached the first pillar in the gargantuan room, "Your answers are ones that I cannot give you, as I do not know much about what happened to Terra's body myself."

Ventus was the first to speak up, "Probably because you intend to reclaim it for yourself!"

Xehanort smiled, "Ventus! I am genuinely hurt, I needed a body to continue my research, as that research has been fulfilled I no longer require Terra's body."

Terra growled, "What has become of my body? I often wonder especially after your heartless and your nobody used it to it's fullest extent."

We eventually reached the stairway on the other side of the room, "Follow me to the top, I imagine that it is quite familiar to all of you by now."

* * *

><p><strong>The Altar Of Naught<strong>

The stairs wound like a spiral to the very pinnacle of the castle.

We reached a large circular area with the organization's symbols adorning every visible surface.

"Welcome to the top of The Castle That Never Was." Xehanort said with his arms held high, "Here we can talk without worry of interruption."

Terra was the first to take up the invitation.

"What have you done with my body?"

Xehanort's face darkened, "I have done nothing with your body, my lad." He turned his back on us for a moment, "All I can tell you is that something happened that expelled me from his body... as far as I can tell, his body is somewhere in a pocket dimention called 'Betwixt and Between', it could be located anywhere."

A grin spread across my face.

Riku caught sight of my face and said, "What?"

"I know exactly what he's talking about."

* * *

><p><strong>Another chapter stamped and finished! Please let me know if you like the story, I can honestly say that I immensely enjoy each and every review I receive.<strong>

**Until Next Time Readers!  
><strong>


	35. A Little Out Of Hand

**Almost there, just five to go... then I will begin my next story... Oh! By the way folks, I am currently in the process of publishing a book, the book is to be titled 'Skies Beyond' and will take place on an island in the sky called Amarda, if anyone would like an autographed book I am setting up a system where certain codes can be sent in to the company with your name and address, you will be sent a copy of the book FREE OF CHARGE!**

**I intend for each and everyone who has reviewed my story to be given one of these special codes! The book will be published May 12, 2012.**

**Sora: "Wow... you really do sound desperate!"**

**Me: "Desperate?"**

**Sora: "Yeah, all of this sounds like a weak bid to get more reviews."**

**Me: "... I hate you."**

* * *

><p>I pressed the ship as hard as it could go, in fact if we went any faster we would break the sound barrier.<p>

"Sora, where in Twilight Town are we going anyway?" Kairi asked while walking over to the mini refrigerator.

"it's not technically in Twilight Town... it's actually inside a computer version of the town."

She knotted her eyebrows as she gazed at me, "Computer version?"

"Ansem The Wise invented it to hold Roxas while I slept to regain my memories."

She nodded and stuck her head in the fridge, "Is there any of that fruit salad left?"

"What fruit salad?"

"The Paopu Fruit Salad I made the other day."

Riku glanced at me, then to Kairi's hidden head in the fridge. He mouthed, "Don't tell her I ate it."

It took all I had to keep from chuckling, but I refrained from doing so because of his pleading gaze.

"I don't know Kairi, I never knew that there was any of your famous fruit salad here in the first place."

She stood and closed the door, "Well, I was hoping to get some of it, but I can make a sandwich instead."

Riku's face dropped, he hated it when Kairi said stuff like that... to tell the truth so do I, every time she gets disappointed I feel like I'm the one who caused it.

I glanced at the monitors, we had twelve hours and sixteen minutes until we hit Twilight Town's airspace.

I shrugged to myself, I figured I could probably squeeze a nap out of that. So I stood and switched on the autopilot, and headed to my room.

The door presented a keypad automatically, "Please input Password."

I typed 'keystotheheart' and pushed the door open.

My blue comforter set rested neatly on the bed, my pack was carefully placed in the corner next to the wardrobe.

I walked to the bed and sat down.

Now, as I sat there my thoughts wandered near and far, _Who sent those resurrected Keyblade Masters after us? Why did they go straight for me? Why did Xehanort help us?_

I thought I had an answer for the last one, but it just seemed too bogus, even for Xehanort.

I unconsciously grasped the Mark of Mastery crest that hung from my neck, oddly enough if calmed my whirling thoughts a bit. But then again, Yen Sid had said that the Mark of Mastery would increase my proficiency with the Keyblade, and it would help me control the Darkness in my heart.

A light knock sounded from the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Kairi."

"Ok... come on in."

The door slid out of the way, and Kairi strode in.

She smiled at me and sat down on my left, "Are you okay?"

I nodded absentmindedly.

"No dreams?" She queried.

I shook my head and leaned back, "Nope... haven't had any for three days, guess I can finally rest easy, if you'll pardon the pun."

she giggled and ley beck next to me, "What's going to happen after all of this is over with?"

I shook my head.

"I figured Yen Sid or Mickey would have you start training Keyblade wielders, or something like that."

I shrugged and rolled my head in her direction.

"I remember you telling me 'don't ever change', do you remember that?"

She nodded, "That was the day before the Storm..."

"No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep myself from changing... guess I failed on that too huh?"

She smiled and ruffled my hair, "Nah, you changed, but your hair hasn't."

I gave her a lopsided grin, "I guess I used too much gel on it before Prom."

She grinned, "Yeah, at least it held true to it's reputation of being 'extra strong and long-lasting' huh?"

I nodded and sat up, "We need to figure out what we're going to tell your dad when this nonsense is over with." I grabbed a tissue from my nightstand and wiped my nose on it, "He wasn't exactly popular for being lenient on your boyfriends."

"Yeah I know, when Riku tried to date me, Dad threw him out the window and told him never to come near me again..."

I raised an eyebrow at her, she continued, "Well dad sort of caught him trying to cop a feelsky if you know what I mean..."

Uh oh, that piece of news didn't go down well.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, now genuinely interested.

"Riku snuck up behind me and kissed my neck, thennnwhy am I telling you this?"

I snorted at the confused look that spread across her face, "Aw come on! Why'd you stop when you were just getting to the good part?"

She glared at me, "You don't need to know anything about Riku and I dating!"

"I am your boyfriend now, am I not?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, are you?"

I rolled my eyes, "Must you answer my questions with questions?"

"Must I?"

I stood and pointed at her chest, "Quit that! You know I hate that!"

"Do I?"

That was the last straw, I dove at her and knocked her onto the bed, then proceeded to tickel the living daylights out of her.

I grabbed her wrists and held them over her head and dove at her armpits, she chuckled and laughed so hard that her face turned red.  
>She tried to break my grip by tugging, then reverted to kicking me, that didn't work either.<p>

"Say when you've had enough." I wiggled my fingers against her ribs listening to her wild cackling, "Come on, say it!"

Her eyes bugged out all of a sudden. I froze, I glanced down at my hand...

In the next instant, several things happened. First, I pushed myself away from her so fast, that my momentum carried me across the bed and into my open wardrobe. Secondly, Kairi sat up blushing furiously.

I pulled a pair of my shorts out of my mouth and glanced nervously at her, "S-sorry Kairi, I guess that got a little out of hand..." (Or in this case, IN hand)

She shuffled towards the door mumbling something like, "Itsssalrightsora, no harm done." Then she dissapeared through the door in a red streak.

I sighed heavily, it's gonna take a heluva lot of talking to wipe that from living memory.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the last scene, I figured I'd dragged the SoraKairi thing far enough without something drastic happening.**

**The Next Chapter should be posted within the next day... so Until Then!  
><strong>


	36. The 'Talk'

**Here be 36, just 4 to go until _Power Unknown_ comes to an end. By the way, I intend this chapter to contain a few choice words involving Kairi, Riku and Sora, so please be warned if you are easily offended.**

**Sora: "Finally, something good! Please don't make me look like a fool in this one!"**

**Me: "No promises  
><strong>

* * *

><p>After Kairi's visit, I had been laying on the bed for several hours thinking, <em>How am I going to talk my way out of this one<em>.

At that particular time Ventus and Roxas decided to show up.

"Yo, what up G?" Said Roxas as he threw himself into a wing-back chair.

I raised my eyebrows at him and growled, "Quit using slang at me, Nobody."

Roxas raised his forehead and placed his hand on his chest in mock offense, "Sora Nomura! How dare you use such uncivilized language in high society!"

Ven rolled his eyes and smacked Roxas on the back of his head, "Quit it."

Roxas grinned while rubbing his head, "I was just having fun! No what I'm sayin'."

I looked at him again, "if you use another slang term in my presence, I'm going to _slang_ you out a window."

Ven chuckled and sat down on a stool after dragging it closer to me, "So what happened with Kairi?"

I buried my face in a pillow, "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, she just ran to her room glowing like a stop-light, I figured you and her had done something."

I sat up and threw the pillow across the room, "Oh yeah, SOMETHING happened alright, I started tickling her and my hand ended up in a place that can only be seen as questionable."

I jumped off the bed and picked the pillow back up, then kicked it into my bathroom, "Now I'm worried that something..." A snickering sound stopped me short, Roxas and Ventus BOTH, were laughing at me!

Roxas recovered a little and said, "You're worried because you touched her in an unintended place? That is the funniest thing I've ever heard!"

Ven stood and patted my shoulder, "Well, at least you got _somewhere_, I was beginning to think that you weren't going to get anywhere with her."

I blanched at that prospect, then I proceeded to stutter, "B-but..I-I would never try anything with her that she didn't want!"

"How do you know she doesn't want it?" Roxas said wiping a tear from his eye.

I walked over and swatted him on top of his blonde head, "SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Ven walked over and grabbed my wrist, "Enough, we were not laughing at you, it was simply amusing that you were stressing over touching your _girlfriend_ in an unintended way... it's actually a normal thing to happen, it's not like you threatened to kill her right?"

I nodded uneasily, "I understand, but do I really need the birds-and-the-bees talk from you?" I growled.

Ven rolled his eyes again, "If you keep up with stressing over small and stupid stuff, you'll be an old man by the time your 25th birthday rolls around."

"Let's hope it means that I'll be a little wiser too."

Roxas stood and sighed, "You need to learn a little more about girls dude, or you're never gonna get anywhere with Kairi."

"I'm supposed to take lessons on girls from someone who has _never_ connected with a girl whatsoever?" I retorted with a snarl.

"Have you forgotten Xion already?"

I shook my head and chuckled, "Xion? You've hooked up with her?"

He nodded and held out his hand, upon said hand was a bracelet with a large silver plate on it with the roman neumerals 'XIV' engraved on it's surface.

"Xion gave this to me, I gave her my checkered bracelet."

I snorted, "Good luck with that one bro."

I glanced at Ventus who seemed to be more than a little uncomfortable with the situation, "What's the matter? Feeling regret because you don't have a ball and chain to call your own?"

He shuffled nervously and scratched the back of his head, "A-actually..."

"Don't tell me you've been bitten by the love bug!"

A lopsided grin crawled across his face, "Yes... but I don't think it's appropriate to speak of her at this moment."

"Bull, let's hear it!" Shouted Roxas reassuming his seat.

"Well ah... you see... it's someone you've met already..."

Realization his me like a slap of half-frozen water, "It's Aqua isn't it?" I shouted jumping up and clasping his shoulders.

His face took on the coloration of a steamed lobster and he nodded haltingly.

Roxas and I shouted with perfect timing, "I KNEW IT!"

"God bless us, our little lad is growing into a man!" Roxas said dabbing imaginary tears from his cheeks.

I smiled for nothing other than the ability to do so, "You dog... have you tried barking up her tree yet?"

Horror surface on his face, "What? I've never thought of anything of the kind!"

I snorted again, "Come ON, you're almost 24 years old and you've never...?"

He shot me a scathing look, "Neither have you apparently."

"Crikey... this looks like a right smart fix mate." Roxas said, and in the WORST mock-australian accent I've ever had the displeasure to hear.

I rounded on him, "Get your non-existent ass back to the bridge and see if Riku needs a hand at the controls."

"But, you set the auto-pilot..."

"NOW!"

He took off faster that an elephant from a mouse, and left the room entirely.

I glanced at Ventus and said, "Tell me."

"W-what?"

"Did I stutter?"

"T-tell you what?"

"Tell me what you love about Aqua, then we can figure out what you need to do from there."

He went blank almost immediately.

I slapped my forehead and started, "What things about her do you like?"

That seemed to rouse him as he moved slightly and began, "She is... very beautiful... she was there for me as a friend whenever I needed her."

I nodded, trying my best to encourage him.

"And she... will never accept me as anything more than a friend..."

I nodded, then fell out of my chair sideways.

"HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY LIKE THAT?"

"She just won't accept me for anything other than a friend... there's no getting around that... I guess my life is meant to be spent alone."

I placed a hand on his shoulder, "That was the same thinking I used before Kairi found out I liked her... and I must say that she found out in a way that was about as preferable as drinking acid..."

He looked up at me and grinned, "I know..."

I stood and hefted him to his feet, "Come on, let's get to the bridge and see if there is any news."

* * *

><p>Ven followed me into the control room and sat in one of the co-pilot's chairs, Terra was standing in the corner as still as a... well... a suit of armor.<p>

I looked at the computer and asked, "Time?"

The computer's mellow voice sang back, "Three hours fifteen minutes."

Good God! Had I really spent nine hours in my room?

Suddenly the computer spoke again, "Error, estimated time of arrival, three minutes twelve seconds."

I looked out the viewscreen and watched the Station Tower materialize above a silent town.

Roxas grinned and whispered, "I'm home."

* * *

><p><strong>How was that? I've been trying to make the chapters longer, but I always end up posting them at 3 a.m But I digress, Please tell me how I'm doing, I NEED to know what you think of my latest attempt at writing a Kingdom Hearts story.<strong>

**Until next time!  
><strong>


	37. The Group Is Back In Town!

**Here be chapter 37. We are nearing the end of our little saga, but it will continue in my next story: Kingdom Hearts: The Master Key.**

**Sora: "ANOTHER STORY?"**

**Me: "Yup, deal with it shorty!"**

**Sora: "SHORTY? I'm 6' 4'' you dolt!"**

**Me: "And I'm 6' 7'' dork."  
><strong>

* * *

><p>I pointed to the left of the tower, "There is an Aerodrome on the southwestern end of the station, we can dock the Gummi Ship there."<p>

"Got it, strap in we don't wanna get a ticket for disregarding regulations."

I rolled my eyes and closed the harness on my co-pilot's chair.

A large white dome-like structure filled the viewscreen, Riku brought the ship closer and pressed the com-link, "This is Riku, Captain and owner of Highwind model number 374g83, requesting permission to dock."

The com beeped a couple of times then a female voice responded, "Permission granted, enter dock 8B."

A rectangular panel opened on the north face of the dome. Riku maneuvered the ship into the port, and two mechanical arms gripped the ship and lowered it onto the dock floor.

The voice spoke from the com again, "Our scans show damage to your ship, would you like repair and upgrade service?"

"Yes please."

"Very good sir, you will not be charged for the service."

Riku gave me a questioning look, then he flipped the com back on, "Um... why won't I be charged?"

"Our database shows that you have been named official ambassadors to Disney Castle, and so you have diplomatic immunity for dock services."

Riku blinked and followed me and the others to the exit.

* * *

><p>I breathed deeply as we stepped out onto the station plaza. The sun hung in it's same place, setting the sky ablaze in gold, red and violet.<p>

"Welcome back home Roxas." I grinned.

He nodded and asked, "Do you mind if we visit Hayner, Pence, and Olette?"

I shook my head, "Let's go, they should be in the usual spot."

Roxas stopped mid-step, "How do you know about the usual spot?"

"Duh, you are my nobody."

"Oh... let's go."

We followed Market Street to the first corner and turned into the alley that led to the usual spot.

Roxas walked up to the gate and pushed it open, "Yo! Hayner, Pence, Olette, are you guys in here?"

A boy wearing camouflage pants and vest swept the curtain aside, "Who is it?"

Roxas waived, "It's me Roxas!"

Hayner gave him a weird look, "I don't know anyone named Roxas..."

"Oh, right none of that was real..."

I stepped forward, "Then do you remember me?"

Hayner's face lit up, "SORA! Nice to see you dude."

Roxas crossed his arms and grumbled, "Sure, you remember him but not me..."

"Come on in!" He waived us in.

"You know Pence and Olette?" He pointed to a girl in an orange sundress, and another guy in a red shirt that read 'Dog Street'.

I nodded, then proceeded to introduce my companions, "Kairi you guys already know, here is Riku, Terra, Ventus and Roxas."

Olette looked at Roxas, "I know you from somewhere... did you used to go to school here?"

Roxas nodded, "Yeah I did, but I found out recently that it was all fake."

"Fake?"

"I was imprisoned in a data copy of this town."

Pence stood up, "Really?"

"Yeah... you guys were there... we were friends until I was freed."

Hayner smirked, "So that's why you knew my name but I didn't know yours."

I nodded.

"Well if we were friends in this digital world, what's my favorite hobby?"

"Struggle."

"What's my favorite Ice-Cream?"

"Sea-Salt, but you like to sprinkle sugar on it before you eat it."

He nodded, then Olette stood up, "What is my favorite hobby?"

"Homework... everyone in town calls you the 'know-it-all'."

Pence stood up for his turn, "What did I discover and write the summer-study homework on?"

"The Seven Wonders of Twilight Town."

"Name em'."

"The Spooky Steps, The Friend From Beyond The Wall, Moans From The Tunnel, The Doppelganger, The Animated Bag, The Lonely Girl and The Ghost Train Mystery"

"Good... apparently you did know us..."

I walked up and explained the Digital Twilight Town, and how Roxas knew them. Then I explained something extra important, "Roxas is not actually a person, he is actually me... just me without a heart."

Pence crossed his arms, "Explain please, I don't follow."

"Alright, a person is made of three things to allow them to exist, a heart, a body, and a soul. The Body gives a vessel for the Heart, the Soul gives the Body life."

Pence nodded.

"I used a Keyblade to extract my own heart in order to save Kairi, from that Roxas was born." I glanced at Roxas, "Roxas is what is known as a Nobody."

Roxas nodded and hung an arm around my shoulders, I continued, "He is my Body and Soul minus my Heart."

"Okay... so how can he be standing here apart from you?"

"He has a physical body due to a spell's side effect."

Roxas nodded and interjected, "Ventus looks like me because his heart is part of Sora now."

Ven rolled his eyes and sat down on a bench.

"Is the mansion open?" I asked.

"Yeah, we were just there yesterday, why do you ask?"

I grinned, "Because the gate to the data-data world is in the basement."

Pence frowned, "Oh yeah, how could I have forgotten that?"

"Let's go."

* * *

><p><strong>There is one more thing I would like to add about the sequel, I might be a while posting that one since I am starting college soon, but in order to find it you will need to go to the Kingdom Hearts Crossovers section or you could type the title in the search bar.<strong>

**Until the next post!  
><strong>


	38. Back In Business

**Behold Chapter 38! It begins, the next three chapters will reveal and spell the end of the one who resurrected the Keyblade Masters and sent them to kill Sora.**

**Sora: "It's about time you started with some action!"**

**Me: "I know, so far it's just been romance and out-of-place humor."**

* * *

><p>Our footsteps echoed off the walls as we made our way into the computer room, I was hoping that the data version of Twilight Town still existed, if not we were screwed because I did not know any possible way to open a portal to Betwixt and Between.<p>

"Where exactly is this portal?" Asked Pence.

"Inside the Basement Hall in the simulated world, that is the only way to enter Betwixt and Between." We came to the door of the computer room, I grabbed the handle and slid it open.

"C'mon, it looks like the transfer beam is still active."

I led Terra and Ventus to the projector and said, "I need just the two of you to come with me, if this goes the way I plan Terra will be back inside of his own body within the next three hours."

Ventus nodded and turned to the others, "I need all of you to stay in this world, Sora, Terra and I are going to recover Terra's Body."

Kairi turned her gaze on me. I wanted her to come with me, but I needed her to stay with Roxas and the others, and the pleading look in her blue eyes was almost enough to make me take her with me.

"I'm sorry Kairi, but I need you to keep an eye on my..." I glanced at Roxas with a glint in my eye, "...Blonde counterpart." (Emphasis on 'blonde'.)

Roxas scowled.

I turned back to the transporter beam and passed my hand through it. Within the blink of an eye I was sucked into the alternate version of Twilight Town.

* * *

><p>I stepped out of the transporter and rubbed my temples, good GOD interdimentional travel gives me the worst migraines.<p>

I turned as Terra and Ventus materialized, "Through that door is the Basement Hall, and the portal hopefully." I pointed to a door next to the destroyed computer.

"What destroyed that computer?" Asked Ventus.

I grinned, "Your counterpart."

He raised his eyebrows and chuckled, "That's right, he was imprisoned here."

I turned and forced the door open.

The hall was dimly lit, and in the corner floated an orb of red energy.

"There's your portal Terra, we'll find your body in there."

As a group we walked over and stepped through to a new world.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Betwixt And Between (The Realm Of Nothingness)<span>**

The entire world was composed of nothing but swirling blue and red gases and lights, all sense of up, down, right or left was completely gone. I had expected to see Terra's lifeless form floating in the air above us, but what I saw was completely opposite.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Xemnas.

He smiled and pointed one of his glowing swords at me, "I never imagined that I would see you here."

Terra strode forward and held his Keyblade in the same fashion as Xemnas, "You have something that belongs to me Nobody."

Xemnas walked closer and asked, "And what might that be Lingering Sentiment?"

Terra leaned his head forward and raised his Keyblade higher speaking only two words, "My Body."

Terra leapt into the air over Xemnas' head and swung downward, the weapon's teeth connected with Xemnas' skull. Xemnas flew forward and landed face down twelve yards away.

Ventus and I looked at Xemnas' limp form, "Damn Terra, you knocked his ass out!" I shouted.

Terra walked over and grabbed Xemnas by the back of his cloak and held him several inches off the ground like a fresh-caught fish. Terra jammed his Keyblade into Xemnas' chest. A blue aura surrounded the Nobody's form.

Terra drew himself up taller and said, "I claim what was mine at birth, Heart, Soul and Body come together at last." Terra's armor began glowing red, Xemnas' form turned semitransparent then levitated into Terra's armor. A blast of white light erupted from Terra, causing Ven and I turned to cover our eyes.

After the light had faded, I risked a glance back at Terra. He stood still wearing his armor, no change could be noticed right away... that is until he reached up and tugged his helmet off.

If I didn't know any better, I would've thought Xemnas stood before us... the only difference was the dark brown hair that had replaced the snow white. A grin spread across his face.

"I'm back in business."

Ven rushed over and placed a hand on Terra's shoulder, "Welcome back old friend."

Terra place his free hand on Ventus' shoulder and grinned even wider, "it's good to be back."

"Don't start celebrating just yet."

The three of us turned in the direction of the voice.

"You have done something extremely stupid haven't you?" Said a holographic image of Master Xehanort.

"YOU LIED TO US!" I shouted.

Xehanort wore an unconcerned look on his face, "I did nothing of the sort! I am talking about how you just released Vanitas!"

Ventu's face all but fell on the floor, "V-vanitas?"

Xehanort nodded, then pointed at Terra, "You had better hope that Master Erauqs returns soon." With that said, he vanished.

I glanced at Terra, "Everytime I look at you I see Xemnas and Xehanort's Heartless."

Terra nodded with a frown, "I know, all I can say is that I'm glad to be back in a solid form... I felt hollow before."

Ventus grinned, "Technically you were hollow."

Terra rolled his eyes and hefted his Keyblade onto his shoulder, "Let us depart... we still have yet to visit Castle Oblivion."

I nodded and led them back to the Computer Room."

* * *

><p><strong>Here's the end of the Thirty-eighth chapter. As I promised at the beginning, the next two chapter will deal with the emergence of this new threat in Vanitas' form.<strong>

**Until Next Posting!  
><strong>


	39. The Final Battle Begins

**Here is 39. This chapter took me a while figure out, I seem to be running low on morale and ideas.**

**Sora: "Whatever dude, just get on with it."**

**Me: "Here it is..."**

* * *

><p>I rematerialized in the real world, and gave Kairi and the others a recap on what had happened.<p>

"Whatever the case, we have to find this Vanitas and stop him."

Ventus scowled and shoved me a few feet back, " You're going to 'stop him'? That's the best you can come up with? THIS GUY IS PURE DARKNESS AND YOU THINK WE CAN JUST STOP HIM?"

I straightened myself and growled, "Don't ever shove me again, or you won't live to regret it."

Ven drew his fist back as if he were going to punch me. After a few moments he lowered his hand, "You don't understand what this guy is like... he is the other half of my heart... Master Xehanort literally _cleaved_ my heart in two, and formed Vanitas from the dark half."

Terra sighed and turned to the exit, "There is no profit in arguing about it here, we may as well make our way to Castle Oblivion."

I nodded and led the others back to the station, which turned out to be a twenty minute walk.

Terra scaled the steps to the glass tower doors and said over his shoulder, "Ventus is right about this Vanitas... although I have never met him myself, I don't think we should spurn his opinions on this matter."

I turned to Hayner, Pence and Olette, "It was good seeing you guys again, even if it was only for a little while."

Heyner nodded and poked my chest, "Just don't stay away for a year like last time, got it?"

I nodded, unable to keep the grin off my face, "Welp, gotta go!"

I ran through the doors just as Kairi cleared the entrance. Riku walked up to the ticket window and asked for repair status on his ship.

"Model?"

"Highwind, Number 347g83."

"Repairs are complete, you may depart whenever you are ready Captain."

Riku nodded and gestured for us to follow him into the hangar.

We rounded a corner and spotted the Gummi Ship sitting on dry-dock supports, a small team of workers and mechanics were rolling hoses and cables onto large wooden spools. The tallest of them wearing an orange coat walked over and saluted, "Repairs to your ship are complete ambassadors, you will also find that your store of ammunition has also been replenished, with that I bid you safe travels and good evening sir."

Riku saluted back and ascended a flight of stairs to the entry ramp of the ship.

I walked to the front of the ship and asked Riku if I could pilot this time.

"Sure, but remember to stay out of Meteor Rain airspace, we don't want a repeat of our last excursion through there."

I nodded then strapped myself into the Pilot's chair, "Running Diagnostics... all systems fully operational." Tugging the controls toward me, the ship shuddered for a second and lifted off from the supports and hung in the air for several seconds. I pressed the accelerator sending the ship into the sky toward the horizon, and out into Space toward Castle Oblivion.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Castle Oblivion<span>**

Black, green, blue and white mists swirled in the skies as we landed on a narrow peninsula of land that jutted out into a bottomless gulf of darkness. As the ship's weight was translated into the ground, I half-expected it to break off and send us and our only means of transport into oblivion. (Ha, I made another funny.)

We disembarked in a semi-orderly fashion with Kairi, Riku and I leading the others out.

"Aqua should still be here, if I'm not mistaken." I gave the castle a wary look, "No matter how many times I see this place, it always looks creepy."

Riku snorted, "What's the matter Sora, getting cold feet?"

I gave him a sideways look, "It's not my feet that are getting cold..."

The doors loomed over us, the damage I had inflicted on them a few days ago could not be seen anywhere.

"Didn't I...?"

"What?" Asked Kairi.

"I distinctly remember destroying these doors on the last visit."

Roxas and Ventus grinned in unison, "Yup, that was pretty funny, but unnecessary the Keyblade would have taken care of the lock in seconds."

I shrugged, "So, I needed the exercise."

Ven walked up to the door and tested the handle. With a light groan it swung inward.

"Well what do ya know, seems like Aqua was expecting us."

We all filed inside, I instinctively glanced at the far right corner remembering the Heartless that attacked us o the last visit.

Ven walked to the center of the room and shouted, "AQUA? COME DOWN HERE WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO SEE YOU!"

There was a few seconds lapse in time as we waited for a response... Eventually the door on the other end of the room opened and Aqua walked out.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

Ven placed his hands on his hips, "Now that isn't the way to welcome your friends."

Her face lit up at seeing Ventus again, "Ven!" She raced over and grabbed him up in a hug that left his face purple.

"I'm so glad you're back!" She set him down and looked in his face.

Ven gestured behind himself, "Look over there, I've brought someone that has been missing for sometime."

She spotted Terra, a look of pure amazement crosser her face. She stood and walked towards him as if in a trance. her hands stretching up towards his face. And she smacked him across said face...

"HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOURSELF HERE! AFTER ALL YOU'VE DONE I OUTHGT'A KILL YOU!"

Terra flinched and held up his hands, "I know, I know, I'm sorry for what happened but you can't change what was."

She made to smack him again, I rushed over and grabbed her wrist, "Easy now! You wouldn't believe what we went through to save him, so I can't be letting you hit him."

She snarled and looked at Ventus, "I'm glad you saved him, but now that I think about it I'm not sure he deserved it."

Ven walked over and clasped her shoulders, "I know, but I don't believe he did all of those things volunterily, he was posessed by Xehanort after all."

She finally concieded after a lengthy argument about Master Erauqs.

"Alright... I am sorry Terra for smacking you, but you disappeared for nine years! how can you expect a warm welcome after that?"

Terra lowered his head and sighed.

Aqua turned to me and looked at me as if she were sizing me up for a coffin, "Why are you here? I specifically said that..." She trailed off as her eyes focused on my neck.

"Why are you wearing the Mark of Mastery?"

I grinned, "Master Yen Sid put me to the test."

Her eyebrows raised, "Good, then you are a full-fledged Keyblade Master."

"A Master he may be, but his powers are not enough to stop me."

A man wearing a black and red bodysuit appeared out of a corridor of darkness, he wore a black helmet with a visor that covered his whole face and a black and red Keyblade hung off his shoulder.

"I really must thank you Terra for breaking what remained of the spell that held me."

Terra stepped toward him and held out his Keyblade, "Leave this world fragment, you have no right and no purpose here."

Vanitas released a maniacal laugh, "No right or purpose? I beg to differ, I have business with Ventus."

Ven summoned his Keyblade and assumed a defensive, "You have no more reason to exist, Xehanort has conceded defeat, and disclosed the location of Terra's body for retrieval."

Vanitas pulled off his helmet. I was shocked to find that he bore a striking resemblance to me.

"And why do you think Xehanort did so? To help you and your precious friends? No, as Ventus destroyed the X-Blade he sealed me inside of Terra's body." Vanitas threw his helmet aside, "You remember the 'Guardian' that accompanied Xehanort's Heartless? That was me in my truest unbound form, pretty impressive huh?"

Riku growled and summoned his Keyblade as well. I stepped closer and summoned both of my Keyblades, holding them pointed directly as Vanitas, "I think it would be wise if you left."

A wicked grin spread across Vanitas' face, he raised his Keyblade in an exact mirror of Riku's favorite fighting stance, "Let's battle, I place no rules on this either, as all of you combined could not defeat me."

I smiled and charged, everyone else including Kairi surged forward with me their Keyblades held high.

Vanitas twirled his keyblade on his fingers idly, as I reached him he jumped into the air and fired several orbs of darkness down on me like a black rain. I quickly cast reflect, each of the orbs exploding into black mist upon contact. Ventus jumped high into the air and cast thundaga, the bolt of yellow energy moved faster than the eye could see, but at the last second Vanitas intercepted it with the leading edge of his Keyblade sending the spell in the opposite direction.

Terra morphed his Keyblade into the shape of a cannon and fired, a large white energy bolt. Vanitas simply made a fist and the energy dissipated.

Riku activated his Dark Mode and threw his Keyblade, he jumped into the air towards it and yelled, "IGNITE!" Flames erupted from his Keyblade bathing the entire room in golden-red light.

Vanitas moved to block the attack, but I teleported beside him and slashed him across the front of his body suit. Vanitas roared in pain and clutched his chest.

I landed on one knee and yelled to Aqua, "Distract him! I'm going to finish this before it gets out of hand!"

She nodded her understanding and ran up the wall pouring energy into her keyblade.

I focused on my drive forms and selected one that I hoped would at least catch him off guard while I built up my energy. I looked at Vanitas with my eyes glowing yellow and roared like a beast.

Vanitas attention snapped to me, a grin formed on his face, "So it appears that even the Keyblade Master can be affected by darkness."

My voice was deeper and full of malice as I growled back, "Only when it serves to protect my friends!" With that I jumped into the air towards him with my jet-black claws extended.

* * *

><p><strong>There is something dull about this story, I know it... if you guys know what I'm talking about please send me a PM to point it out, cause I have no idea what is wrong here.<strong>

**Until the next and final chapter is posted, I bid you farewell!  
><strong>


	40. It's Over

**Here ladies and Gentlemen if the Final Chapter of Power Unknown. Do not Fret, as I have already promised a sequel... I honestly hope the next one will have some better grammar in it, this one was kind of... bland. On a side note, the sequel will take a while before it's posted because I want to pre-write it.**

**I recommend you go to www. playlist. com (Remove the spaces) and listen to the song 'Drammatica-The Other Promise' while you read. (It makes the story sooo much better.)  
><strong>

**Sora: "About time, I've been getting tired of this... WHAT? You're actually going to make a sequel?"**

**Me: "Yeah... got a problem?"**

**Sora: "A problem? HELL YEAH I GOT A PROBLEM!"  
><strong>

**Me: "Too bad... the next one was going to introduce a new world... and I was thinking of rating it M."**

**Sora: "M? What is that?"**

**Me: "Mature."**

**Sora: "Okay... I don't think I could stomach that."**

**Me: "Alright, Rated 'T' it is!"**

**Sora: "That's more like it."  
><strong>

* * *

><p>I dove straight for Vanitas' throat, I was going to tear his throat out. But at the very last possible second, a blast of green magical energy blindsided me, sending me spiraling to the ground. I hit hard enough to crack the white marble floor.<p>

After a few seconds I pushed myself up on my arms and looked up I Vanitas' direction. A smile had drawn itself on his face.

"A little case of mistaken identity huh?" he asked with a chuckle.

I looked around, Kairi had fired an Aeroga spell, and hit me thinking I was Vanitas, "Kairi, what the hell?" I hauled myself into a standing position, nearly falling over in the process.

She dropped her Keyblade, a flash of rainbow sparks signaled it's dismissal. She covered her mouth with her hands, "Sora... I'm so sorry."

I held up a hand, "Focus, we need to attack him, not me."

**Roxas POV**

Sora crouched and pushed himself off the ground, he took to the air like a rocket and made a beeline for Vanitas.

I crossed my Keyblades and set them to spinning in mid-air like a saw blade. jumping after them I swung the spinning disk at Vanitas twice, until Vanitas intercepted and jammed his Keyblade into mine. That attack stopped them immediately. Sora swung both of his Keyblades and caught Vanitas', with a deft movement of his hand he sent Vanitas' Keyblade Void Gear flying.

"Yield." Sora stated simply. I followed suite and held Oblivion to Vanit's throat.

Vanitas growled, "Never." He twisted away from our grasp and re-summoned his Keyblade to his hand.

Sora ducked under Vanitas' first swing and stabbed him in the ribs, Vanitas coughed blood and pulled back. A thin stream of crimson dripping from his abdomen, Vanitas laughed.

I glanced at Sora, his left Kingdom Key was stained with his double's blood, "Laugh all you want, this is the end, you'll not win against us this day."

Vanitas continued to laugh, it escalated in pitch until it sounded like a mad-scientist's cackle.

I looked down to Kairi, Riku, Terra, Ventus and Aqua, all of them had their eyes fixed on the dark keyblade wielder.

Vanitas laughter stopped abruptly. I turned my gaze back, Vanitas' face now bore a stony glare, "I'll not win against you this day? How poetic... sounds like a fairy-tale... Picture this if you will, I am the most powerful Keyblade wielder to exist, and you say that I am going to lose?" He levitated closer to Sora and sneered, "Let's see you win against this." In one quick move, he force Void Gear through Sora's heart.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't breath.

I couldn't do anything but watch in horror as Vanitas' blade was pulled from Sora's ribcage... His eyes wide in shock... And he fell...

My eyes followed his progress to the ground.

**Riku's POV**

He's falling.

**Kairi's POV**

He's falling.

How can that be?

He hit the ground... I ran... I ran to him.

He lay in a pool of his own blood... I turned his unseeing eyes on me, and sobbed.

**Roxas' POV**

Kairi cradled Sora's lifeless form in her arms.

his Keyblades lay on either side of them, then they vanished in a shower of white sparks.

I looked at Ventus. He looked back at me... a look of pure disbelief was frozen on his face.

A loud echoing laugh sounded from Vanitas.

"Yes. Look upon your fallen hero, he has failed. His heart goes to join with Kingdom Hearts." Vanitas pointed his Keyblade at Sora's body, which was still clutched in Kairi's grasp, a beam of white energy blasted from his weapon and enveloped Sora's body.

Vanitas lifted his Keyblade and Sora's body with it, and Sora vanished.

I stared at the spot in the air where Sora used to be.

My only thought was... He's gone... How can that be?

I turned my attention back to Vanitas... and Exploded.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" I dove at him, Oathkeeper and Oblivion trained on his head.

Vanitas blocked and smirked, "What's wrong? Is your somebody dead?"

I pulled back and hammered on his block, each blow making Vanitas' knees buckle. Using the more of my strength I forced Vanitas to the floor and backflipped away. i eyed him and ran towards him dragging the tips of my keyblades on the ground sending showers of sparks behind me.

Vanitas moved to block. I was quicker, I jumped into the air and jammed both Keyblades into Vanitas' chest. I landed and looked him right in the eye, "I expected more from you _Emptiness_."

Vanitas coughed and wheezed, "You dare..." I nodded and pulled my weapons free.

**Sora's POV**

I opened my eyes, I recognized this place. The Station of Awakening.

My twin Keyblades materialized crossed in mid-air.

"Your time is almost up Sora."

I looked around, no one.

"You have a great power... but do you know what it is for?"

I responded immediately, "To protect the worlds."

"No... you know what it is... look in your heart."

A vision took over my perception.

I saw myself in Anti-Form, slashing a Xehanort from every direction... I saw myself in Final-Form, using the Keyblade with mere thought. I saw Roxas wielding Oathkeeper and Oblivion... both Keyblades were shining, Oblivion was swallowed by an aura of pure darkness, Oathkeeper was surrounded in light.

A realization hit me. The power of Light and Darkness are at their most powerful when used together.

"Light and Darkness are at my disposal... I wield both."

"That is correct... you are the first Keyblade Master to use both Light and Darkness without being swallowed by the overbearing hunger of Darkness."

My vision faded.

When I opened my eyes, I was staring down into the first room of Castle Oblivion where Kairi and Riku were with the others. Roxas was attacking Vanitas like a savage.

"Roxas may hold Ventus' image, but he is a direct representation of your powers over light and Darkness."

"What's happening?"

"He is giving in to the Darkness... though he posesses no Heart to give, the Darkness will claim his body and you along with it, you must stop him before he slays Vanitas." I watched Roxas plunge Oathkeeper and Oblivion into Vanitas' chest, "If you do not. You, Roxas and Ventus will cease to exist."

I contemplated this. Solid resolve overwhelmed me.

"I'll stop him."

My eyes closed, I opened them again, I was now floating above the scene with both of my Keyblades in hand.

I flew down into the room roaring, "NOOOO!"

Roxas pulled his keyblades free of Vanitas' body. Roxas looked up at me and gaped, "SORA! YOU'RE ALIVE!"

I reached the floor and shoved Roxas aside.

Vanitas fell, I rushed over and poured a potion over his open wounds.

"SORA WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Shouted Roxas.

I looked at him and satated, "Vanitas is the other half of Ventus' heart! If he dies, you, me and Ventus will dissappear!"

Vanitas coughed weakly, "I see you've figured... it out... without me... you are nothing."

Ventus stepped forward and placed a hand on Vanitas' chest, "I claim you... as a part of me..."

Vanitas chuckled, "You... can't reclaim... what was taken by a Keyblade... it must be given back." Vanitas grinned, "I do not accept you as... part of me... go now and die... in whatever way seems best... to you."

Vanitas let out a gasping breath and relaxed.

I looked up at Kairi... she was kneeling in a puddle of blood on the floor... tears streaming down her face.

"Sora... you're okay."

I glanced down at Vanitas' form, then back up to her, "No... with Vanitas dead... I will fade."

A single tear rolled down her cheek, "Fade?"

"I'm sorry Kai... but it looks like you won't have to worry about seeing my goofy smile again."

A strange tingling feeling crept up my arm, I glanced down at it. It was becoming transparent.

I looked at Riku and was thoroughly shocked, he too was crying.

"B-but... what are we going to do without you?"

I smiled, "Just tell my parents that I'm going to stay in Radient Garden for a while... after they get suspicous, just tell them that I was attacked by heartless... I'm sure they'll understand."

Riku knelt and placed a hand on my shoulder, "It was an honor to know you... Sora Nomura."

A single tear fell from my eye, "No... the honor was mine..."

I looked at Kairi once more, "I love you Kairi... wherever I am... I'll watch over you..."

Ventus had walked over to Terra and Aqua and held them both in a tight hug. Ventus pulled away and looked Aqua in the eyes, "Aqua... there is something I've always wanted to tell you... but now it doesn't look as if it will matter... but... I love you... please forgive me for being a coward... I failed you more than once... I say now what Sora has said, 'No matter where I am... I will always watch over you."

Aqua pulled him to her and kissed him.

I watched in quiet contentment and regret for what could have, and should have been, as Ven faded from view, Aqua was left holding the air. She collapsed to the ground sobbing.

I stood and smiled to my friends, "Keep yourselves safe... looks like I won't be able to do that for you anymore." The tingling rose to the base of my skull, my entire body was now invisible. I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable.

Light blinded me. My vision changed to a scene of Kingdom Hearts in the sky above our heads. A voice thundered down from the heart-shaped moon.

"You have endured much... I call you now... to protect this world again... Live... and be happy."

The strange tingling feeling faded. I glanced down at my arms again, they were solid. Solid enough for me to wrap them around Kairi and bring her in for a kiss. A kiss that was filled with many things, happiness, love, regret, relief and love... Love for her.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Epilouge<span>**

We eventually made it back to Destiny Islands... Vanitas was defeated... his body had merged with Ventus after he faded.  
>Kairi and I moved into a house on Midnight Hill four miles south of our parent's house.<br>We recieved an invitation in the mail to Ven and Aqua's Wedding, Imagine that! They were together for three weeks and were already to that stage! Terra is rumored to be the one officiating the ceremony.  
>Riku moved into a house that sat across the street from us. He now has a living building and selling Gummi Ships.<p>

As a matter of fact, here is the latest advertisement for it:

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Riku's Fix Or Repair Daily Gummi Ship Shop, is now open for business! As a special offer, older model ships will be upgraded free for the next two months only! Bring your ships, bring your parts! We'll fix it, even if it kills us!"

Surprisingly, he recieved almost 300 customers within a week. Cid even opted to become an associate business.

Another thing... Kairi and I are due to be married. Riku volunteered to be my best man!

I hope that wherever you go... The strength of the Keyblade protects you... remember this: No matter how old or young you are, there is no law that says you have to grow up. Keep that which you were born with, an imagination.

* * *

><p><strong>This my friends is the end of this capter in Sora's life. But he and his friends shall return to face an evil that has plagued it's homeworld for centuries.<strong>

**Until next Time! This is Stephen Levi 'Roxas' Groves (aka. Soulless1) signing off.  
><strong>


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